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THE   NEW   GARDENING 


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AMONG  THE  YEWS,  LEVENS  HALL. 


THE  NEW 
GARDENING 

A   GUIDE   TO   THE  MOST   RECENT 

DEVELOPMENTS   IN   THE  CULTURE  OF 

FLOWERS,   FRUITS,   AND    VEGETABLES 


BY 

WALTER   P.   WRIGHT 

AUTHOR    OF 
POPULAR    GARDEN    FLOWERS,"    "THE    GARDEN    WEEK    BY    WEEK,' 

"THE  PERFECT  GARDEN,"  ETC. 


WITH  SIX  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOUR 

AND  FORTY-EIGHT  REPRODUCTIONS 

FROM  PHOTOGRAPHS 


NEW   YORK 
DOUBLEDAY,   PAGE   AND   COMPANY 

1913 


WILLIAM   BRENDON   AND  SON,   LTD.,   PRINTERS,    PLYMOUTH 
ENGLAND 


PREFACE 

THE  aim  of  the  present  work  is  to  bring  within  the  scope 
of  an  inexpensive  volume  the  most  recent  developments 
in  gardening,  not,  however,  to  touch  on  them  merely  in  a 
perfunctory  way,  but  to  give  copious  cultural  and  prac- 
tical details  alike  as  to  designing  and  planting  gardens, 
arranging  and  growing  plants,  shrubs,  and  trees,  and 
describing  new  and  improved  species,  varieties,  and 
hybrids.  The  book  is  therefore  a  guide  as  well  as  a 
record.  An  endeavour  has  been  made  to  impart  a  literary 
flavour  to  the  chapters  without  impeding  the  practical 

movement. 

WALTER  P.  WRIGHT. 


271465 


CONTENTS 

PART    I.— THE   NEW    FLOWER-GARDENING 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  THE  NEW  ART  OF  GARDEN-MAKING  .           .       .17 

II.  THE  NEW  BORDERS   .               .  ...  27 

III.  THE  NEW  BORDERS  (continued]  .  34 

IV.  NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  BORDER  PLANTS  .        .  40 

V.  THE  NEW  ROCK-GARDENING   .  .  77 

VI.  NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  .  88 

VII.  THE  NEW  BEDDING   .              .  ...  125 

VIII.  THE  NEW  ROSE-GROWING        .  .           .       .  134 

IX.  THE  NEW  SWEET  PEA  GROWING  .           .       .  145 

X.  THE  NEW  CARNATION-GROWING  .           .       .  157 

XI.  THE  NEW  TULIP-GROWING      .  .           .        .  166 

XII.  THE  NEW  DAFFODIL-GROWING  .           .       .  175 

XIII.  THE  JAPANESE  GARDEN           .  ...  182 

XIV.  THE  NEW  USE  OF  SUN-DIALS  .  ...  190 
XV.  NEW  NAMES  AND  OLD             .  ...  196 

XVI.  NEW  BEAUTY  IN  PERGOLAS  AND  VERANDAHS         .  204 

XVII.  THE  NEW  CITY  GARDEN          .  .           .        .211 

XVIII.  THE  NEW  SUBURBAN  GARDEN  .        •  218 

XIX.  THE  NEW  WATER-GARDENING  .                   •  233 

9 


io  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XX.  THE  NEW  GARDENER  .  .  .        .  244 

XXI.  THE  NEW  TREE  BEAUTY  .  .  .  256 

XXII.  THE  NEW  SHRUB  BEAUTY         .  .  .  276 

PART   II.— THE   NEW  FRUIT-GROWING 

I.  THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE          .  .  295 

II.  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE       .  306 

III.  THE  NEW  SCIENCE  OF  FRUIT-SPRAYING  .       .  322 

IV.  MODERN  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  CROSS-FERTILIZATION 

OF  FRUIT,  WITH  PARTICULAR  REFERENCE  TO  BEES  341 

V.  MODERN  PEARS  AND  PEAR-GROWING      .  .        .  345 

VI.  THE  NEW  BERRIES     .  .  ...  352 

PART   III.— THE   NEW   VEGETABLE-GROWING 

I.  A  NEW  IDEAL  FOR  TABLE  VEGETABLES  .        .  361 

II.  AN  ECONOMICAL  SUPPLY  OF  FRESH  VEGETABLES    .  368 

III.  FRENCH  GARDENING  .  .  ...  379 

IV.  ELECTRICAL  EXPERIMENTS  IN  FORCING  VEGETABLES 

AND  FRUIT  .  .  ...  390 

INDEX         .  .  .  .  ...  398 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

IN   COLOUR 
Among  the  Yews,  Levens  Hall  .  .  Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

The  Monk's  Garden,  Knole        .                .                ...  24 

The  New  Herbaceous  Borders  .                 .                 ...  38 

The  Terrace,  Balcaskie               .                 .                ...  84 

The  New  type  of  Lawn  Bed  :  Pillar  Roses  as  a  Background      .  140 

Lawn  and  Herbaceous  Borders,  Knole      .                ...  200 

IN  BLACK  AND  WHITE 

Herbaceous  Borders  at  Sutton  Place         .                .  28 

A  Glimpse  of  a  Rose  Pergola  in  the  Mixed  Border              .         .  34 

An  Herbaceous  Border  at  Frogmore         .                 .             .         .  36 

Adonis  Amurensis       .                 .                 .                 ...  42 

Double  Clarkia  pulchella                              .                .             .         .  50 

A  Group  of  Delphiniums             .                 .                 .             .         .  52 

Eremurus      .                 .                 .                 .                ...  54 

Gerberas       .                .                .                .                ...  56 

Incarvillea  Delavayi     .                 .                 .                ...  60 

A  Modern  form  of  Iris  Germanica             .                 .             .         .  62 

A  Border  of  Paeonies                  .                 .                ...  64 

Meconopsis  Integrifolia               .                .                 ...  66 

ii 


12  LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Poppy,  Mrs.  Perry       .                .  .                ...  68 

A  Group  of  Paeonies                   .  .                ...  7° 

Senecio  Clivorum  by  the  Waterside  .                .            .         .  72 

Romneya  Coulteri        .                .  .                ...  74 

A  Charming  Example  of  Rock  Gardening                .  80 

Myosotis  Alpestres       .                .  .                .            .        .  106 

Primula  Viscosa  Mrs.  J.  H.  Wilson  .                .            .        .  1 10 

Primula  Marginata      .                .  .                .            .        .  112 

Primula  Littoniana      .                .  .                .            .        .  114 

Primula  Malacoides    .                .                                            .        .  116 

Primula  Winteri           .                .                                .            .        .  118 

Primula  Forresti           .                 .                                 .             .         .  120 

Shortia  Uniflora  Grandiflora      .  .                .            .        .  122 

Violas            ...                                            .        .  124 

A  Group  of  Modern  Begonias    .  .  .126 

Azalia  Mollis                .                .  .                .            .        .  128 

A  Modern  Double  Begonia         .  .                .            .        .  130 

Primula  Pulverulenta                  .                                .                     .  132 

A  Bed  of  Tulips  in  Grass           .                                            .        .  168 

A  Border  of  Darwin  Tulips        .  .                .            .         .  172 

A  Pretty  Clump  of  Narcissi  of  the  Leedsii  type       .                     .  1 80 
A  Japanese  Garden  in  Lakeland                               .            .        .186 

A  Pretty  Rock  and  Water  Garden                            .                     -  236 

Nymphaeas                   .                                                            .  240 

Pyrus  Spectabilis         .                                                                    .  268 

Sophora  Japonica         .                .  .                ...  270 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS  13 

FACING   PAGE 

Cytisus  Kevvensis         .                .  .  ...  280 

An  Orchard  of  Apples  in  Full  Bloom  .  ...  300 

Bush  Apple  before  and  after  Pruning  .  ...  308 

Pear  Tree  before  and  after  Pruning  and  Nailing     .            .        .314 

Spraying  Fruit  Trees                   .  .  ...  324 

Raspberry,  Superlative                .  .  ...  354 

Strawberry,  Royal  Sovereign      .  .  ...  356 

The  A.E.D.  High  Tension  Set  .  .  .             .  392 

Effects  of  Electricity  on  Potatoes  .  ...  394 

Effects  of  Electricity  on  Tomatoes  .  ...  396 


PART   I 
THE   NEW   FLOWER-GARDENING 


CHAPTER   I 

THE   NEW  ART   OF   GARDEN-MAKING 

As  the  knowledge  of  gardening  spreads  confidence  will 
be  gained  and  individuality  will  assert  itself.  Gardens 
will  take  more  and  more  the  impress  of  the  character  of 
their  owners.  At  present  there  is  a  tendency,  both  in 
Britain  and  America,  to  work  on  a  few  general  ideas. 
The  bulk  of  present-day  gardening  is  built  up  on  certain 
vague  but  stimulating  phrases,  such  as  "  freedom," 
"  colour  grouping/'  "  massing/'  and — haziest  but  most 
invigorating  of  all — "  conformity  with  Nature."  That 
so  much  good  work  has  been  done  with  so  meagre  an 
equipment  is  full  of  encouragement  for  the  future.  It 
gives  us  the  sure  conviction  that  with  a  fuller  knowledge 
of  plants  self-reliance  will  grow,  and  the  number  of 
beautiful  gardens  will  increase. 

There  may  not,  however,  be  a  prevailing  national  style 
of  gardening,  either  in  England  or  America.  The  forms 
of  gardens  will  vary  according  to  the  amenities  of  the 
places  and  the  temperaments  of  the  persons  who  own 
them.  One  garden  must  differ  from  another,  just  as 
one  book  and  one  picture  must  differ  from  another. 

I  have  read  a  good  deal  about  the  formal  garden,  and 
a  great  deal  more  (for,  indeed,  it  is  a  very  wordy  thing) 
about  the  "  natural "  garden.  I  am  asked  to  believe 
that  up  to  a  certain  time  a  style  of  gardening  prevailed 
which  was  stiff,  angular,  and  artificial ;  and  that  hence- 
B  17 


;18:'  :THE  -NEW   GARDENING 

forth  a  form  took  its  place  which  was  free,  graceful,  and 
unaffected — in  a  word,  that  there  was  a  sudden  cata- 
clysmic change  from  the  false  to  the  true. 

In  looking  round  for  evidence  I  see  much  that  is 
significant  and  striking,  as  I  shall  presently  endeavour  to 
show,  but  I  see  nothing  to  establish  the  claim  that  a 
revolution  has  been  effected  in  garden  style.  For  ex- 
ample, I  do  not  see,  I  never  expect  to  see,  and  I  may  add 
that  I  have  no  wish  to  see,  what  has  been  termed  the 
formal  style  banished  from  the  great  mansions.  What 
I  do  see  is  remarkable  enough,  but  it  is  not  a  revolution 
in  style.  I  see  a  great  wave  of  garden  love  spreading  over 
the  civilized,  and  particularly  perhaps  over  the  English- 
speaking,  nations.  I  see  thousands  of  people  putting 
plants  where  they  had  not  hitherto  thought  of  placing 
them.  I  see  gardens  coming  into  being  round  innumer- 
able homes.  I  see  sites  made  into  rock-gardens  which 
hitherto  have  been  bare  slopes.  All  this  is  clear  enough, 
but  I  doubt  if  it  can  be  expressed  in  terms  of  "  style  " 
— that  it  denotes  a  triumph  of  the  "  natural  "  over  the 
"  formal." 

The  vast  majority  of  flower-lovers  refrain  from  worry- 
ing themselves  about  style  in  gardening,  just  as  they  do 
about  literary  form.  It  is  only  the  few  who  have  time, 
training,  and  opportunity  for  studying  the  niceties  of 
technique.  But  if  they  did  so  far  concern  themselves 
with  certain  supposititious  garden  styles  as  to  inquire 
to  what  extent  they  had  altered  in  England  it  would  be 
found  that  there  had  been  no  real  change  at  all.  In  the 
great  places  what  is  termed  the  "  formal  "  system  still 
prevails.  The  fact  that  Roses,  Carnations,  and  Phloxes 
are  massed  in  beds  which  once  contained  Zonal  Pelar- 
goniums does  not  transform  the  style. 

'Where  the  scheme  of  architecture  spreads  from  the 


THE  NEW  ART  OF  GARDEN-MAKING    19 

actual  walls  of  the  building  to  a  few  acres  of  the  immediate 
surroundings  formalism  rules.  Can  we  say  that  it  governs 
unwisely  ?  Not,  surely,  if  it  leads  the  mind  by  gentle  and 
pleasing  gradations  from  the  walls  to  the  woods.  The 
human  mind  adjusts  itself  to  perspective  by  a  process  of 
transition,  not  by  violent  leaps.  There  seems  to  have 
grown  up  a  pretension  that  unless  a  human  being  subjects 
himself,  immediately  on  leaving  the  door  of  his  house,  to 
the  brilliance  of  an  herbaceous  border  or  the  clangour  of  a 
group  of  Rhododendrons,  he  is  to  be  put  in  the  stocks  with 
a  card  bearing  the  shameful  word  "  formalist  "  pinned 
to  his  breast. 

In  that  "  normal  state  of  completeness  and  order  in  the 
relations  of  things  to  each  other  "  which  constitutes  har- 
mony, house  and  garden  cannot  be  entirely  divorced  from 
each  other.  They  must  partake  of  each  other's  characters. 
An  irregular  cottage  covered  with  flowers  needs  nothing 
but  flower  borders  around  it.  But  a  mansion  wants  more, 
and  the  old  Greek  and  Roman  gardeners  planned  more 
wisely  than  is  generally  admitted  nowadays,  when  they 
credited  human  nature  with  an  inborn  sense  of  relation- 
ship between  their  homes  and  the  immediate  surround- 
ings. Recognizing  this,  we  see  that  it  is  in  no  sense 
unnatural  to  arrange  that  the  outline  of  a  house  shall 
regulate,  to  some  extent,  the  outline  of  the  ground 
near  it. 

That  which  is  based  on  a  traditional  demand  for  har- 
mony is  based  on  the  bedrock  of  true  art,  and  cannot  be 
affected  by  groundless  charges  of  artificiality.  There 
are  places  where  a  measure  of  formalism  is  imperatively 
demanded.  Without  it  the  house  comes  into  violent  colli- 
sion with  an  alien  environment.  There  is  nothing  in 
common  between  an  Alpine  garden  and  a  great  dwelling. 
To  bring  the  two  into  sharp  contact  is  to  create  antagon- 


20  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

ism.  That  is  not  to  say  that  we  are  to  do  without  the 
Alpine  garden,  but  only  that  we  are  to  form  a  link  be- 
tween the  two  which  shall  obviate  any  suggestion  of 
incongruity. 

More  particularly  is  this  element  of  formalism  called 
for  when  a  house  is  built  on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  for  here 
terraces  come  into  being  as  inevitably  as  they  did  in 
the  great  and  noble  Italian  gardens,  where  the  pillars, 
columns,  parapets,  and  balustrades  are  a  natural  out- 
growth from  the  dwelling,  and  complete  a  serene  and 
stately  scheme. 

Formalism  is  not  dead.  At  a  period  when  the  triumph 
of  "  natural  "  gardening  is  loudly  proclaimed  we  see  the 
Japanese  garden,  the  clipped  tree,  and  the  rectangular 
Rose  garden  with  angular  Yew  hedges  high  on  a  wave 
of  favour.  Humanity  is  a  being  of  form. 

He  who  builds  his  house  on  the  hill-side  will  do  well  to 
consider  whether  he  will  act  wisely  by  cramming  close 
under  its  walls  irregular  groups,  curving  borders  a,nd 
rockeries  in  a  poor  semblance  of  nature  ;  and  whether  he 
will  not  produce  a  more  harmonious  and  satisfying  effect 
by  forming  terraces,  with  cool  rectangles  of  grass,  hedges 
of  Yew,  and  supporting  walls  whose  Rose-planted  borders 
are  lined  with  Box.  In  parts  more  remote  from  the  walls 
of  the  house,  beyond  the  main  lawn,  on  the  slopes,  in  the 
valleys,  by  the  water,  will  come  the  herbaceous  borders, 
the  Alpine  garden,  and  the  groups  of  shrubs. 

The  larger  the  house,  and  the  better  defined  its  archi- 
tectural plan,  the  more  convincing  will  be  this  appeal  to 
formalism.  But  we  need  not  dwell  on  it  at  length,  for 
where  one  mansion,  designed  on  some  approved  archi- 
tectural model,  is  built,  there  come  into  existence  thou- 
sands of  smaller  dwellings,  irregular  in  shape,  picturesque, 
architecturally  formless,  and  yet  full  of  charm.  What 


THE  NEW  ART  OF  GARDEN-MAKING   21 

style  of  gardening  can  be  invoked  for  these  hybrid  places  ? 
They  are  built  in  deliberate  defiance  of  all  rules  except 
those  of  hygiene.  It  cannot  be  said  that  no  style  of 
architecture  is  represented  in  them,  because  all  the  styles 
jumble  and  jostle  each  other  in  one  bewildering,  captivat- 
ing, delightful  whole. 

Have  modern  landscape  gardeners  studied  the  problem 
of  bringing  gardens  into  agreement  with  these  gabled, 
timbered  medleys  ?  Can  they  evolve  a  settled  style  ? 
Are  they  able  to  promise  us  something  that  is  free  from 
all  trace  of  what  is  called  formalism  ?  These  are  questions 
of  great  interest,  for  garden  cities  are  growing  up  on  every 
hand,  and  in  these  places  the  houses  are  irregularly 
grouped  and  vary  greatly  in  character. 

I  do  not  expect  to  see  any  settled  national  style  come 
into  existence,  either  in  America  or  England.  I  expect 
to  see  garden-lovers  guided  by  a  school  of  garden  artists 
(so  to  term  them)  who  are  as  little  influenced  in  their 
creations  by  the  tenets  of  the  classical  landscape  gardeners 
of  the  past  as  the  designers  of  jumble  houses  are  by  the 
rules  of  the  great  architects.  I  expect  to  see  gardens 
come  into  being  that  are  a  mingled  mass  of  styles,  and  yet 
are  collectively  harmonious  and  beautiful. 

This  process  will  be  helped  by  a  better  knowledge  of 
good  plants  and  a  fuller  understanding  of  the  principles 
of  thorough  culture.  It  is  often  a  matter  of  wonder  to 
educated  people  that  working  gardeners,  springing  as  they 
do  from  the  lower  classes,  and  full  of  scorn,  as  they  often 
are,  for  the  guidance  of  horticultural  theorists,  should  yet 
produce  so  many  satisfying  examples  of  flower-gardening. 
The  explanation  is  that  these  men,  whatever  their  defects 
may  be,  are  true  plantsmen.  They  know  and  love  plants. 
They  live  for  plants.  They  have  the  keenest  possible 
sense  of  the  difference  between  a  good  plant  and  a  bad 


22  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

one.  They  know  exactly  how  to  grow  a  plant  healthfully 
and  vigorously.  Sometimes  they  have  in  addition  a  vague 
sense  of  harmony,  which  they  do  not  know  how  to  define. 
This  helps  them,  but  their  great  stand-by — one  might 
almost  say  their  salvation — is  their  power  over  plants. 

Do  we  always  fully  realize  how  important  a  part  the 
plant  plays  in  gardening  ?  Have  we  learned  to  acknow- 
ledge that  we  cannot  be  good  gardeners  without  being 
good  plantsmen  ?  It  is  my  privilege  to  enj  oy  the  acquaint- 
ance of  many  people  who  specialize  particular  plants,  and 
the  more  intimately  I  foregather  with  them  the  more 
fully  I  realize  how  enormous  is  the  value  of  good  plants- 
manship.  Each  kind  of  plant  has  its  peculiarities,  to 
learn  and  provide  for  which  is  the  joy  of  those  who 
love  it. 

In  visiting  gardens  I  see  few  that  are  unsatisfactory  on 
the  score  of  design  in  comparison  with  the  number  that 
are  disappointing  because  of  bad  culture.  It  has  grown 
to  be  considered  that  everything  turns  on  design,  whereas 
it  is  really  a  minor  consideration.  So  much  is  thought  of 
form,  and  so  little  of  culture,  that  many,  perhaps  the 
majority,  of  those  who  speak  with  authority  on  gardening 
are  but  half  trained,  and  know  little  or  nothing  of  the 
most  important  matter.  Thus  situated  they  are  obviously 
imperfectly  qualified  to  judge  of  the  qualities  and  defects 
of  gardens. 

The  new  art  of  gardening  must  begin  by  acquiring  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  plants.  The  gardener  who  is  un- 
able to  study  a  particular  plant  should  forthwith  decide 
to  leave  it  out  of  his  garden.  There  is  no  real  joy  and 
satisfaction  in  gardening  unless  the  plants  are  grown 
healthfully. 

In  the  matter  of  colour-grouping,  which  rightly  receives 
the  attention  of  many  flower-lovers,  the  first  consideration 


THE  NEW  ART  OF  GARDEN-MAKING   23 

is  not  the  blending  of  the  colours,  but  the  provision  of 
healthy  plants  and  the  means  for  growing  them  well. 
Without  this  there  will  be  no  true  colour.  The  reader  will 
hardly  need  to  be  reminded  of  the  many  instances  in 
which  colour-grouping  is  a  failure,  but  he  may  need  to 
have  his  attention  directed  to  the  true  cause  of  the  catas- 
trophe, which  is  often  overlooked. 

There  is  a  need  for  expression  in  the  human  soul  which 
often  finds  no  outlet.  The  few  have  a  sufficient  command 
over  pen  or  palette  to  be  able  to  discharge  themselves  in 
the  writing  of  a  book  or  the  painting  of  a  picture,  but  the 
many,  lacking  this  power,  are  thrown  back  upon  them- 
selves, to  brood,  to  mourn,  almost  to  despair.  I  believe 
that  in  future  thousands  who  in  the  past  have  suffered 
from  vague  discontent  and  unhappiness  will  find  full 
expression  and  expansion  in  gardening ;  and  I  have  the 
sure  conviction  that  if  they  will  only  learn  that  the  first 
essential  is  sound  plantsmanship  they  will  make  beautiful 
gardens  with  very  little  help  from  design. 

There  are,  however,  certain  points  in  garden-making 
which  have  no  connection  with  culture  and  yet  are 
worthy  of  consideration. 

Given  a  rectangular  house,  I  should  be  disposed  to  lean 
to  formalism  in  its  vicinity.  I  have  before  me  a  photo- 
graph of  a  moderately  large  house,  of  oblong  form,  the 
front  built  on  large  columns.  Curving  beds  and  her- 
baceous borders  come  up  to  the  windows  and  block  the 
view,  and  an  inscription  below  the  photograph  tells  me, 
with  serene  complacency,  that  Nature  has  been  brought 
to  the  very  portals  of  the  dwelling.  The  truth  is  that 
Nature  has  been  shut  out.  One  has  a  feeling  of  suffocation. 
One  sighs  for  a  shower  of  sulphuric  acid  on  these  imprison- 
ing borders,  and  the  sight  of  an  honest  line  of  "  Gera- 
niums "  in  the  distance.  There  should  have  been  a  rect- 


24  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

angle  of  turf  before  the  house,  flanked  by  large  vases 
planted  boldly  with  Hydrangeas,  African  Lilies  (Agapan- 
thus),  or  flaming  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums.  A  straight 
walk  should  have  led  to  an  archway,  forming  a  vista, 
through  which  the  shrubberies,  the  herbaceous  borders, 
and  the  scenery  without  could  have  been  seen. 

We  may  remember  that  a  vista  has  the  effect  of  mag- 
nifying. It  gives  an  illusion  of  boundless  space.  The 
same  effect  comes  from  winding  paths  and  a  slightly 
arched  area  of  turf.  The  garden-maker  should  suffer 
nothing  cramped  close  to  a  house,  unless,  indeed,  he  has 
taken  an  isolated  cottage  for  seclusion  in  which  to  write 
a  masterpiece. 

The  formal  element  close  to  the  house  and  the  informal 
a  little  way  off  can  be  pleasantly  linked  up  by  a  rock 
walk,  made  of  irregular,  flattish  stones,  between  which 
Stonecrops,  Rockfoils,  Alpine  Pinks,  and  other  dwarf 
things  are  planted.  This  device  will  be  found  particularly 
helpful  in  small  places,  where  the  principal  part  of  the 
garden  lies  at  the  back  of  the  house.  It  might  skirt  a 
rectangular  piece  of  grass,  and  lead  direct  to  an  arch  or 
pergola. 

In  large  places,  where  the  grounds  surround  the  house, 
there  should  be  nothing  save  grass  and  trees  close  to  the 
principal  windows  ;  but  at  distances  ranging  from  a 
hundred  feet  to  a  thousand  there  should  be  blocks  of 
colour,  either  in  the  form  of  shrubberies  or  herbaceous 
borders,  or  both,  with  openings  forming  vistas  to  distant 
scenery. 

My  thought  is  this.  In  the  small  rectangular  garden 
the  eye  requires  to  be  taken  away  from  the  bare  confines, 
where  it  will  find  nothing  pleasing  ;  and  immediately 
caught  by  something  definite,  which  not  only  gives  it 
pleasure,  but  serves  as  a  guide  to  other  features.  However 


THE  NEW  ART  OF  GARDEN-MAKING   25 

small  the  place,  this  purpose  can  be  served.  The  eye  is 
held  from  the  first.  In  a  large  place  of  irregular  outline 
the  eye  should  be  given  greater  freedom. 

I  recently  did  away  with  an  herbaceous  border  close 
to  the  best  side  of  a  square  house  and  substituted  a  rock 
border.  The  herbaceous  border  was  beautiful  in  itself, 
but,  seen  in  a  wrong  perspective,  was  ineffectual.  The 
rock  border  was  perfectly  flat,  save  for  the  slight  uneven- 
ness  caused  by  the  varying  thickness  of  the  stones  ;  but 
this  flatness  was  in  the  circumstances  an  advantage. 
While,  however,  in  such  places  I  would  use  the  straight 
line,  in  cases  where  I  wished  to  link  up  the  house  lawn 
with  distant  borders,  shrub  belts  and  trees  I  would  have 
recourse  to  the  curving  line.  The  flowers  nearest  the 
house  I  would  have  dwarf er  than  those  farther  on. 

The  pergola,  which  can  be  used  with  great  effect  in 
rectangular  gardens,  should  not,  I  think,  be  allowed  to 
intervene  in  a  bold,  irregular  sweep  of  ground,  where  it 
would  be  out  of  place.  Still  worse  are  disconnected 
arches,  having  no  definite  purpose,  and  merely  serving 
to  support  plants,  which  could  be  done  better  with  pillars. 
I  would  use  a  pergola  to  lead  from  one  part  of  a  garden 
to  another,  but  I  would  not  cut  a  sweep  of  grass  in  front 
of  the  principal  windows  into  separate  portions  with  it. 
Rather  would  I  have  the  grass  entirely  unbroken  save  for 
one  or  two  carefully  chosen  trees,  and  on  its  confines  have 
bold  groups  of  shrubs  with  a  waved  border  flowing  from 
one  to  the  other  all  round  the  grass.  If  there  is  a  piece  of 
rising  ground  it  should,  if  possible,  be  made  use  of  as  a 
background  and  shelter,  being  planted  with  trees  to  in- 
crease its  height  and  its  protecting  influences. 

Ground  falling  to  water  affords  natural  material  for 
Alpine  gardening.  On  the  slopes  rockwork  may  be  con- 
structed. The  bed  can  be  broken  with  flat  stones. 


26  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

To  sum  up,  my  view  is  that  the  natural  garden  comes 
into  being  appropriately  when  it  falls  into  harmonious 
communion  with  the  surrounding  landscape,  and  can  be 
linked  up  with  the  distant  external  features  which  lead 
to  the  horizon.  We  should  rather  seek  to  display  than 
to  obliterate  space. 


CHAPTER    II 

THE   NEW   BORDERS 

THOUGHT,  taste,  and  labour  are  all  needed  to  make  a 
garden  that  is  beautiful' at  different  seasons  of  the  year, 
and  which  always  shows  something  of  interest.  A  good 
garden  cannot  spring  from  a  common  personality. 

Whence  has  come  the  idea  that  anybody  can  make  a 
garden,  without  wit,  without  work,  without  money  ? 
The  upbuilding  of  a  garden  is  as  much  a  matter  of  training, 
experience,  patience,  and  restraint  as  the  training  of 
children.  It  is,  however,  a  task  so  delightful,  in  spite  of 
passing  disappointments  ;  so  healthful,  in  spite  of  occa- 
sional fatigue  ;  so  admirable  in  its  influence  on  mind  and 
character,  in  spite  of  trying  failures,  that  every  one  may 
enter  upon  it  with  the  certainty  of  benefit. 

A  beautiful  garden  is  capable  of  playing  so  important 
a  part  in  the  life  of  a  human  being  that  it  is  worthy  of  the 
best  that  is  in  him.  Never  give  the  fag-end  of  a  tired 
mind,  the  last  efforts  of  a  weary  body,  to  the  garden. 
Begin  the  day  with  it.  Pour  out  on  it  the  vigour,  fresh- 
ness, and  vitality  of  early  morning.  Enter  into  an  active, 
earnest,  faithful  comradeship  with  the  plants.  Visit  them 
when  you  rise,  in  those  early  hours  when  the  wine  of  life 
sparkles  freshly. 

Every  good  plant  that  we  grow  is  an  addition  to  our 
list  of  stimulating  and  cheering  friends.  Each  has  its  own 
individuality.  We  love  all,  but  we  love  each  differently. 
Beautiful  gardens  come  from  beautiful  plants. 

27 


28  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  feeling  of  helplessness  which  comes  over  many  un- 
trained people  when  they  survey  a  field  or  waste  which 
has  to  be  made  into,  a  garden  begins  to  pass  away  with  the 
first  success  in  growing  a  plant.  It  is  a  step  gained,  and 
it  is  full  of  encouragement.  As  the  knowledge  of  plants 
grows  ideas  for  using  them  grow.  An  inexperienced 
plantsman  should  never  tie  himself  to  a  design  unless  he 
is  prepared  to  employ  a  well-qualified  landscape  gardener 
to  supply  plans.  If  he  is  not  in  a  position  to  do  this  let 
him  beware  of  premature  designing.  The  trained  land- 
scape gardener  may  be  trusted  to  provide  a  scheme, 
which,  when  developed,  will  be  consistent ;  but  the  person 
who  has  neither  made  gardens  nor  grown  plants  will 
probably  conceive  a  monstrosity. 

In  warning  the  unskilled  garden  maker  not  to  tie  his 
own  hands  too  tightly,  I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  dis- 
composure which  attends  working  wholly  in  the  dark ; 
and  I  gladly  proceed  to  give  some  guidance.  As  houses 
and  grounds  differ  so  widely  an  exact  plan  of  procedure 
for  every  individual  to  follow  cannot  be  given  ;  but  to  a 
certain  extent  many  can  work  on  similar  lines. 

The  new  flower  gardening  attaches  great  importance 
to  borders  of  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  In  what  pro- 
portion should  the  three  classes  be  mingled,  what 
kinds  should  be'  used,  and  how  should  they  be 
arranged  ? 

I  have  already  said  that  if  there  is  a  "  view  "  the  proper 
place  for  the  border  is  not  right  in  front  of,  and  close  to, 
the  principal  windows  or  doors  of  a  house.  I  differ,  too, 
from  those  who  would  put  individual  specimen  trees  in 
such  positions.  I  think  that  trees  should  form  belts  at 
the  end  of  a  house,  leaving  the  front  quite  open,  and  that 
the  only  trees  anywhere  near  the  front  of  a  house  should 
be  selected  specimens,  such  as  Copper  Beech,  Deodar, 


THE    NEW   BORDERS  29 

Cedar  of  Lebanon,  or  Douglas  Fir,  carefully  placed  here 
and  there  near  the  far  extremities  of  the  lawn.  I  would 
not  have  even  these  trees  very  close.  If  there  is  a  pleasant 
view  the  side  belts  of  trees  might  fall  away  from  the  house 
in  a  wide  sweep,  curve  round,  and  approach  each  other 
again,  but  leave  a  sufficient  opening  for  a  vista.  If  an 
unsightly  object  has  to  be  shut  out  the  trees  may  come 
together. 

Flowering  trees,  preferably  standards  on  six  feet  stems, 
should  form  ti  part  of  every  fairly  large  border,  because 
they  will  break  up  the  uniformity,  as  well  as  give  flower 
or  leaf  beauty.  Rising  above  the  shrubs,  they  will  give  a 
pleasing  diversity  of  outline.  They  do  not  rapidly  form 
large  heads  like  forest  trees,  but  spread  slowly  in  a  com- 
pact cluster  of  branches.  Border  trees  of  great  beauty 
are  the  Double  Scarlet  Thorn,  the  Siberian  Crab,  the 
Double  White  Thorn,  the  Many-flowered  Ornamental^ 
Apple  (Pyrus  Malus  floribunda),  the  Scotch  Laburnum 
(Laburnum  Alpinum),  the  Double  Showy  Apple  (Pyrus 
spectabilis  flore  pleno),  the  Purple-leaved  Plum  (Prunus 
Pissardii),  the  Almond,  the  Lilac  and  the  Catalpa.  I  can 
think  of  no  more  beautiful  flowering  tree  than  Pyrus 
floribunda.  The  expanded  flowers  are  pale  pink,  but 
the  buds  are  bright  red.  The  branches  are  wreathed  in 
blossom  from  base  to  tip. 

Whatever  the  plan  of  a  garden  is  to  be  it  is  almost 
always  safe  to  make  a  wide  border  beside  a  main  drive  or 
walk,  or  on  the  outskirts  of  a  lawn,  where  it  will  be  in  full 
view  from  the  principal  windows.  The  nucleus  of  such  a 
border  might  be  made  by  planting  the  trees  referred  to 
twelve  feet  apart,  and  seven  or  eight  feet  from  the  front 
of  the  border.  Give  each  tree  a  strong  stake,  the  base  of 
which  is  treated  with  a  preservative  and  driven  well  down 
before  the  tree  is  put  in.  Place  a  band  between  the  stake 


30  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

and  the  tree  to  prevent  chafing  at  the  same  time  that  the 
ligature  is  attached. 

Partly  to  further  the  idea  of  diversity,  partly  to  form  a 
foil  for  colour  groups,  we  might  now  proceed  to  plant 
between  the  standards  a  few  selected  pyramidal  Conifers 
such  as  Lawson's  Cypress  and  its  varieties,  Juniper, 
Retinospora,  Abies,  and  Arbor  Vita?.  In  making  a 
"  short  cut  "  in  the  establishment  of  a  large  border  I  have 
before  now  made  a  bargain  with  a  nurseryman  who  has 
been  desirous  of  getting  rid  of  some  oldish  Cypresses. 
There  is  an  element  of  risk  about  such  a  proceeding  on 
poor  dry  soil,  for  if  a  hot  rainless  summer  should  follow 
it  might  be  difficult  to  keep  the  plants  alive  ;  but  a  sport- 
ing chance  is  sometimes  worth  taking.  Such  trees  "  fur- 
nish "  quickly,  and  if  they  thrive  are  a  solid  factor  in 
saving  time. 

Among  the  best  flowering  shrubs  to  be  set  in  front  of 
the  standard  trees  are  varieties  of  Weigela  (Diervilla), 
Golden  Ball  (Forsythia),  Double  Deutzia  (crenata  flore 
pleno),  Spiraea  (notably  arguta,  which  has  beautiful 
foliage  as  well  as  lovely  inflorescence),  hybrid  Azalea, 
flowering  Currant  (Ribes),  Lilac,  Pearl  Bush  (Exochorda), 
Snowdrop  tree  (Halesia),  and  Hibiscus.  These  shrubs 
will  be  beautiful  in  spring  and  early  summer,  and  the 
herbaceous  plants  will  follow  them. 

I  am  tempted  to  add  to  the  names  of  the  flowering 
shrubs  for  border  work  such  noble  things  as  Rhododen- 
drons, large  bush  Roses  of  the  rugosa  section,  such  as 
Conrad  F.  Meyer,  Blanc  double  de  Coubert,  and  Belle 
Poitevine ;  and  the  glorious  Viburnum  plicatum.  But 
where  there  is  plenty  of  room  these  are  better  brought 
forward  into  beds  on  the  lawn. 

The  herbaceous  plants,  grouped  in  front  of  the  Conifers, 
should  include  tall  blue  perennial  Larkspurs  (Delphinium), 


THE   NEW   BORDERS  31 

Phloxes,  Tulips,  Lilies,  vermilion  Lychnis  (Chalcedonica, 
a  most  vivid  flower),  the  large  blue  Dropmore  Anchusa, 
Columbines,  Michaelmas  Daisies,  Chrysanthemums, 
Oriental  Poppies,  and  Pentstemons. 

A  little  judgment  is  required  to  get  an  adequate  supply 
of  bloom  at  different  seasons,  and  a  few  auxiliaries  will  be 
useful,  notably  Wallflowers  for  late  spring,  and  English 
and  Spanish  Irises  for  early  summer.  These,  with  the 
Tulips,  will  keep  the  border  bright  until  July.  The  Wall- 
flowers, set  in  vacant  spaces  in  autumn,  will  come  away 
altogether  in  June.  The  Irises  will  remain,  but  I  do  not 
think  that  they  suffer  from  being  overgrown,  as  they  fade, 
by  taller,  later  blooming  things. 

There  is  apt  to  be  a  blank  after  the  spring  flowers  have 
gone,  but  this  can  be  averted  by  planting  groups  of  a  few 
good  early  summer  things.  In  this  connection  special 
mention  should  be  made  of  the  beautiful  yellow  Globe 
Flowers  (Trollius),  Columbines,  Feverfews  (Pyrethrums) , 
and  the  magnificent  Dropmore  Bugloss  (Anchusa),  all  of 
which  bloom  early. 

It  may  be  well  to  say  that  when  the  word  "  grouping  " 
is  used  it  indicates  setting  several  plants  of  the  same  kind 
in  a  cluster,  instead  of  mixing  the  different  kinds  indis- 
criminately. The  components  of  each  group  should  be 
set  two  to  four  feet  apart,  according  to  their  size ;  the 
former  distance  would  be  appropriate  for  Wallflowers, 
the  latter  for  Phloxes.  Three  feet  is  a  good  average  to 
work  on. 

The  weak  point  of  grouping,  and  the  difficulty  which 
brings  many  people  to  grief,  is  that  if  a  plant  fails,  or  goes 
out  of  bloom  earlier  than  was  expected,  a  big  blank  is  left. 
One  sometimes  sees  herbaceous  borders  which  are  almost 
bare  at  mid-September.  Thus,  there  is  not  only  a  June, 
but  a  September  interregnum  to  provide  for.  For  the 


32  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

latter  period  Chrysanthemums  will  do  good  service,  while 
Gladioli,  Japanese  Anemones,  and  Pentstemons  are  very 
graceful.  Late-blooming  annuals,  such  as  Godetias, 
Clarkias,  Love-in-a-mist,  and  China  Asters,  should  be 
sown  here  and  there  in  April. 

With  a  system  of  planting  such  as  this,  I  see  no  reason 
why  a  substantial  border,  well  furnished  and  gay  with 
bloom,  should  not  be  had  in  the  second  summer.  Three 
years  from  the  planting  those  who  knew  the  site  in  its 
former  bareness  will  exclaim  in  wonder  at  the  transfor- 
mation. 

Something  will  turn,  of  course,  upon  the  soil  and  culti- 
vation, and  as  I  have  laid  stress  on  culture  I  will  say  what 
I  think  are  the  best  methods  of  getting  "  short-cut  " 
borders. 

The  four  principal  influences  on  the  growth  of  a  plant 
(apart  from  climate,  which  the  gardener  cannot  regulate) 
are  fertility  of  soil,  adequate  moisture,  shelter,  and 
stability.  Perhaps  these  are  in  the  order  of  their  import- 
ance :  (i)  Before  we  plant  let  us  break  the  soil  deeply  and 
manure  it  liberally ;  these  practices  greatly  increase  its 
fertility.  (2)  Let  us  endeavour  to  plant  the  trees  and 
shrubs,  if  not  the  flowers,  in  the  fall,  so  that  they  get  all 
the  autumn  and  winter  rains.  Only  in  low,  wet,  undrained 
sites  are  the  roots  likely  to  suffer  from  excess  of  moisture. 
Should  a  dry  hot  summer  follow  we  can  spread  manure  on 
the  soil  around  the  trees  to  conserve  the  moisture.  (3)  We 
cannot  very  well  provide  shelter  for  standard  trees,  but  if 
there  is  a  belt  of  timber  trees  behind  them,  or  a  hill,  they 
will  get  some  shelter.  Coarse,  strong  shrubs  like  Laurels 
and  Aucubas  may  be  planted  at  the  back  to  shelter 
choicer  shrubs  and  herbaceous  plants,  but  this  should 
only  be  done  in  cold,  exposed  places,  for  the  vigorous 
hardy  kinds  soon  begin  to  encroach  if  the  conditions  are 


THE    NEW   BORDERS  33 

favourable  to  growth,  and  exact  a  heavy  toll  for  their 
services.  (4)  The  staking  already  prescribed  will  secure 
stability  for  the  trees.  Firm  but  not  deep  planting  should 
be  practised.  Long,  straggling  branches  may  be  pruned 
back  half-way.  The  taller  herbaceous  plants  may  need 
staking  when  they  approach  the  flowering  period.  I 
advise  the  use  of  strong  six  feet  stakes  painted  green,  as 
they  are  not  conspicuous.  One  will  suffice  in  some  cases, 
but  two  and  even  three  may  be  required  for  bushy  plants. 
One  band  a  foot  from  the  ground,  and  a  second  a  foot 
higher,  are  better  than  a  single  ligature. 

The  majority  of  the  shrubs  are  renewed  in  part  every 
year  by  cutting  out  flowered  wood  after  the  bloom  has 
faded,  and  leaving  the  new  shoots  to  take  its  place  ;  this 
conduces  actively  to  health  and  flowering.  But  not  less 
important  is  the  cutting  up  of  herbaceous  clumps  and 
working  in  manure  every  other  year.  Hundreds  of  people 
think  that  if  a  flowering  plant  is  a  perennial  it  can  be  left 
to  look  after  itself.  There  is  important  work  to  do  every 
year  in  a  border,  and  the  more  that  is  done  the  greater 
the  interest  and  pleasure  in  the  garden. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE   NEW   BORDERS— (continue^ 

IN  these  Rose-loving  times  one  finds  that  the  flower- 
gardener  who  has  not  room  enough  for  a  Rose  garden 
often  longs  to  put  the  queen  of  flowers  in  his  herbaceous 
borders.  Can  we  build  up  a  border  that  shall  admit 
Roses  ? 

Wherever  the  group  system  of  planting  a  border  is 
adopted  Roses  may  be  used,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  they 
show  quite  to  the  best  advantage  when  dotted  singly 
among  herbaceous  plants.  Moreover,  individual  Roses 
are  apt  to  suffer  from  being  overgrown  by  encroaching 
perennials.  I  certainly  do  not  favour  putting  odd  Roses 
in  a  small  border  of  shrubs  and  herbaceous  plants';  it  is 
better  to  set  the  Roses  together  in  a  bed. 

Roses  can  be  legitimately  included  in  mixed  borders  on 
pillars  or  in  groups  of  dwarf  plants.  Blush  Rambler, 
Leuchtstern,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Flight,  Philadelphia  Rambler, 
and  practically  all  the  Wichuraiana  or  "  Memorial  " 
Roses  are  suitable  for  pillars.  The  dwarfs  should  be 
drawn  from  vigorous,  healthy,  free-blooming  sorts. 

The  ideal  border  must  not  be  crowded.  Every  group 
must  stand  clear  of  the  next,  and  every  plant  in  a  group 
must  show  its  individuality.  The  restraint  required  of 
the  dramatist  is  nothing  to  that  demanded  of  the  flower- 
lover. 

Every  border-maker  craves  space.  For  my  own  part, 

34 


THE    NEW   BORDERS  35 

I  would  never  make  a  narrow  border  of  shrubs  and 
herbaceous  plants.  If  the  ground  available  was  a  mere 
strip  I  would  plant  it  with  Roses,  or  Sweet  Peas,  or 
Carnations,  or  some  other  selected  flower,  with  bulbs, 
Primroses  and  Wallflowers  for  spring.  In  a  word,  it 
should  be  rather  a  "  bed  "  than  a  border. 

When  we  commence  with  a  piece  of  bare  ground  we 
feel  that  the  whole  world  is  before  us.  Perhaps  it  is  the 
autumn  or  winter  season,  when  vegetation  is  at  a  low 
ebb.  We  can  plant,  and  plant,  and  plant  again.  Merrily 
we  put  in  Roses  and  Phloxes,  Delphiniums  and  Paeonies, 
Goat's  Rues  and  Golden-rods,  Michaelmas  Daisies  and 
Lilies,  Shasta  Daisies  and  Sunflowers.  There  is  no  future, 
we  live  in  the  present. 

The  full  reckoning  comes  only  if  the  following  summer 
happens  to  be  wet,  but  there  is  a  reckoning,  anyway. 
The  border  is  a  wild  and  distressing  tangle  of  ineffectual 
things. 

Flower-lovers  should  not  become  obsessed  of  borders. 
A  good  border  is  a  beautiful  thing,  but  a  bad  border  is  an 
eyesore.  The  border-maker  should  think  in  yards,  not 
inches.  Unless  we  can  have  a  large,  spacious  border  we 
had  better  have  a  bed. 

Let  us  suppose  that  we  stand  in  an  unfurnished  room. 
It  is  small,  being  only  fifteen  feet  square,  but  as  it  is 
entirely  empty,  save  for  a  carpet  from  wall  to  wall,  it 
seems  large.  We  proceed  to  put  a  sideboard  against  one 
wall,  a  dining-table  in  the  middle,  a  few  chairs  here  and 
there,  and  lo  !  the  room  is  full.  When  we  have  put  trees, 
Rose  pillars,  shrubs,  and  groups  of  herbaceous  plants  in 
our  fifteen-feet  border  shall  we  have  so  much  room  to 
spare  that  we  can  afford  to  put  in  every  other  plant  which 
we  may  buy  or  beg  ? 

Fifteen  feet  wide  !    It  is  a  small  room,  when  it  is  ade- 


36  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

quately  furnished.  Think  of  a  table  as  a  tree,  a  book 
pedestal  as  a  Rose  pillar,  and  see  how  space  in  the  garden 
takes  unto  itself  wings  and  flies  away. 

I  do  not  say  that  fifteen  feet  wide  is  the  minimum  for 
a  border,  but  it  is  little  enough  if  trees  and  shrubs  are  to 
be  put  in  as  well  as  herbaceous  plants.  Do  not  forget  that 
there  is  a  fair  alternative  to  a  mean  and  skimpy  border — 
it  is  to  have  none  at  all. 

We  can  do  adorable  things  with  a  five-yard  strip.  We 
can  have  graceful  trees,  flower-laden  shrubs,  beautiful 
Rose  pillars  and  lovely  groups  of  perennials.  The  trees, 
being  standards,  do  not  really  take  up  much  room;  all 
there  is  of  them  within  six  feet  of  the  ground  is  a  plain 
stem  an  inch  or  two  thick  ;  the  branches  and  foliage  are 
away  up  in  the  air.  It  is  otherwise  with  the  shrubs.  A 
Weigela  well  grown  (and  there  are  few  things  more  beau- 
tiful than  a  healthy  Weigela  in  full  bloom)  needs  a  full 
six  feet  of  ground  space.  Deutzias  and  Spiraeas  want 
almost  as  much.  Every  plant  of  a  vigorous  lot  of  Phloxes 
demands  a  square  yard. 

If  the  fifteen-feet  border  is  to  have  two  faces  we  cannot 
do  better  than  set  the  trees  along  the  centre,  alternately 
with  the  Rose  pillars.  The  space  from  tree  to  pillar  may 
be  nine  feet.  The  line  of  these  combined  features  will 
serve  as  a  background,  whichever  side  of  the  border  we 
are.  At  a  point  which  forms  the  apex  of  a  triangle  with 
each  pair  of  trees  and  pillars,  and  about  three  feet  in 
front  of  them,  we  may  set  a  shrub.  Coming  forward 
another  four  feet,  we  may  set  at  the  apex  of  a  triangle 
between  each  pair  of  shrubs  a  group  6f  one  of  the  larger 
herbaceous  plants.  Thus  is  the  body  of  our  border 
formed.  Along  the  front  smaller  things,  such  as  bulbs, 
Wallflowers,  dwarf  Snapdragons,  Primroses,  Violas  and 
annuals  may  be  set. 


THE    NEW   BORDERS  37 

The  system  of  building  up  the  bulk  of  a  border  by  plant- 
ing in  a  series  of  triangles  will  be  found  a  practical  and 
intelligible  one.  The  different  heights  and  habits  of  the 
plants  will  prevent  any  stiffness.  The  same  plan  can  be 
adopted  where  the  border  has  only  one  face,  but  with  the 
greater  width  available  we  can  afford  to  plant  a  line  of 
common  Laurels  at  the  back  for  shelter  if  the  site  is  an 
exposed  one,  and  although  we  may  grudge  them  the  room 
they  take  up  it  will  be  earned  by  the  greater  success  of  the 
choicer  plants  in  front,  which  will  do  vastly  better  for  the 
protection  they  receive.  We  can  also,  if  we  wish,  work 
in  small  Conifers,  which  may  be  set  opposite  the  bare 
stems  of  the  standard  trees,  and  fresh  angles  found  for 
the  shrubs. 

Let  us  call  a  border  into  being,  built  up  on  the  plan 
proposed.  The  width  shall  be  fifteen  feet,  and  the  border 
shall  face  two  ways,  say  east  and  west.  The  trees  and 
Rose  pillars,  nine  feet  apart  along  the  centre,  shall  be  as 
follows :  (i)  Double  Scarlet  Thorn,  (2)  Rose  Alberic 
Barbier,  (3)  Double  Showy  Apple  (Pyrus  spectabilis  flore 
pleno),  (4)  Rose  Lady  Gay,  (5)  Purple-leaved  Plum 
(Prunus  Pissardii),  (6)  Rose  Blush  Rambler,  (7)  Double 
White  Thorn,  (8)  Rose  Philadelphia  Rambler,  (9)  Orna- 
mental Crab,  (10)  Rose  Leuchtstern,  (n)  Many-flowered 
Apple  (Pyrus  Malus  floribunda),  (12)  Rose  Mrs.  F.  W. 
Flight,  (13)  Scotch  Laburnum,  (14)  Rose  Dundee  Rambler, 
(15)  Lilac. 

Nominally  we  have  seven  and  a  half  feet  of  border  on 
each  side  for  the  shrubs  and  plants,  but  actually  somewhat 
less,  as  a  little  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  Roses, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  are  tied  to  pillars.  In  a  line 
four  feet  from  the  centre  we  may  plant  our  shrubs  in 
the  following  order  :  (i)  Weigela,  (2)  Spiraea,  (3)  Mock 
Orange,  (4)  Golden  Ball  (Forsythia),  (5)  Flowering 


38  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Currant  (Ribes),  (6)  Pearl  Bush  (Exochorda),  (7)  double 
Lilac,  (8)  Magnolia,  (9)  double  Kerria,  (10)  Snowball 
Tree  (Halesia),  (n)  Viburnum,  (12)  Hibiscus,  (13) 
Spiraea,  (14)  Weigela.  The  other  side  may  be  planted 
similarly,  but  with  different  kinds  of  Weigela,  Spiraea, 
Mock  Orange,  Flowering  Currant,  Lilac,  and  Magnolia. 
Or  a  few  other  shrubs  may  be  brought  in,  such  as  Budd- 
leia  variabilis  Veitchiana,  Laurustinus,  Berberis  Darwinii, 
Olearia  Haastii,  Cydonia  Japonica,  Berberis  stenophylla, 
Ceanothus  Gloire  de  Versailles,  Staphylea  colchica,  Althaea 
frutex,  and  Dogwood,  which  could  be  planted  in  the 
order  of  their  names. 

The  herbaceous  plants  which,  with  the  limited  space 
available,  should  be  fairly  dwarf,  compact  kinds,  could 
be  as  follows  :  (i)  crimson  Paeony,  (2)  blue  German  Iris, 
(3)  double  white  Pyrethrum,  (4)  Lychnis  chalcedonica, 

(5)  Trollius  europaeus,  (6)  Aconitum  bicolor,  (7)  Achillea 
Ptarmica  The  Pearl,  (8)  Funkia  ovata  aurea,  (9)  Heuchera 
sanguinea,     (10)    Linum    narbonense,    (n)    Gaillardia, 
(12)  Phlox  divaricata,  (13)  Anemone  Japonica  Honorine 
Jobert,  (14)  Inula  glandulosa. 

In  a  fifteen-feet  border  with  one  face  only  we  could 
get  good  groups  of  the  larger  kinds.  Here  the  principal 
clumps  could  be  as  follows  :  (i)  Blue  Delphinium,  (2) 
white  Sweet  Pea  or  Lily,  (3)  red  Phlox,  (4)  Anchusa 
Italica  Dropmore  Variety  (blue),  (5)  Kniphofia  uvaria, 

(6)  Michaelmas  Daisy,  (7)  Lupinus  polyphyllus   albus, 
(8)    Eryngium   amethystinum   or   blue   Sweet    Pea,    (9) 
salmon-pink    Phlox,    (10)    white    Columbine,    (n)    blue 
Delphinium,  (12)  Eremurus  himalaicus  or  cream  Sweet 
Pea,  (13)  Papaver  orientale  (scarlet  Poppy),  (14)  white 
or  mauve  Sweet  Pea. 

To  get  a  succession  of  bloom  at  most  seasons  of  the 
year  along  the  front  of  an  herbaceous  border  is  to  add 


THE   NEW   BORDERS  39 

a  very  strong  feature.  It  can  be  done  in  this  way  : 
first  of  all,  set  at  intervals  of  six  feet  along  the  border 
two  feet  from  the  grass  alternate  clumps  of  double  white 
Arabis  and  mauve  Aubrietia.  Between  each  pair  of 
clumps  set  patches  of  Daffodils  and  Tulips  in  the  following 
order  :  (i)  Daffodil  Horsefieldii,  (2)  Tulip  Pride  of  Haar- 
lem, (3)  Daffodil  Sir  Watkin,  (4)  Tulip  Walter  T.  Ware, 
(5)  Daffodil  Victoria,  (6)  Tulip  Clara  Butt,  (7)  Daffodil 
rugulosus  (Campernelle),  (8)  Tulip  Erguste,  (9)  Daffodil 
Emperor,  (10)  Tulip  La  Candeur,  (n)  Daffodil  Ben  Jonson 
(Poeticus),  (12)  Tulip  Gesneriana  major,  (13)  Daffodil 
Madame  de  Graaff,  (14)  Tulip  Sunset,  (15)  Daffodil 
Lady  Margaret  Boscawen,  (16)  Tulip  Gesneriana  lutea, 
(17)  Daffodil  Waterwitch,  (18)  Tulip  Loveliness,  (19) 
Daffodil  Golden  Bell,  (20)  Tulip  Velvet  King,  (21)  Daffodil 
Barri  conspicuus,  (22)  Tulip  Calypso,  (23)  Daffodil 
Homespun,  (24)  Tulip  Rev.  H.  Ewbank.  The  Tulips  will 
bloom  after  the  Daffodils.  Small  clusters  of  hardy 
coloured  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  may  separate  the 
clumps  of  Daffodils  and  Tulips.  When  the  Tulips  go  out 
of  bloom  break  off  the  stems  and  plant  close  to  them  young 
seedling  Snapdragons  or  China  Asters,  to  grow  over 
the  Tulips  as  the  leaves  fade  and  bloom  throughout 
summer  and  autumn. 


CHAPTER    IV 

NEW  AND   BEAUTIFUL   BORDER  PLANTS 

IN  building  up  borders  for  general  effect  there  is  nomin- 
ally no  need  to  draw  fine  distinctions  between  varieties  ; 
if  a  sort  has  a  good  habit  and  decided  colours  it  should 
serve.  But  in  effect  flower-lovers  are  particular — I  had 
almost  said  meticulous — about  the  age  of  the  sorts 
that  they  grow.  So  far  as  concerns  the  species  which  have 
not -been  crossed  by  florists  to  yield  varietal  forms  there 
is  no  anxiety,  for  they  are  fixed  and  (in  the  main)  change- 
less. A  large  number  of  good  plants  have,  however, 
been  specialized  by  florists,  and  a  work  on  modern  gar- 
dening must  take  account  of  what  has  been  done  with 
these  kinds,  and  point  out  the  latest  developments  in 
them. 

The  interest  in  novelties  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  breasts 
of  flower-lovers.  Every  good  gardener  admires  a  good 
plant,  just  as  every  good  man  admires  a  good  woman. 
But  every  gardener  does  not  love  the  same  variety 
of  that  plant  best,  any  more  than  every  man  has  a  special 
predilection  for  one  particular  woman.  And  the  loyalty 
of  flower-lovers  to  a  variety  is  not  the  same  as  their 
loyalty  to  a  plant.  The  former  lasts  till  a  better  sort 
appears,  the  latter  is  lifelong. 

There  is  a  constant  ebb  and  flow  of  varieties  in 
gardens  ;  the  old  passing,  the  new  arriving.  There  are 
cases  in  which  a  variety  that  has  done  good  service 

40 


BORDER   PLANTS  41 

holds  its  place  in  the  face  of  a  new  creation  that  is 
manifestly  superior  to  it,  but  I  am  constrained  to  say 
that  in  the  majority  of  such  instances  it  is  narrowness  of 
means  rather  than  sentiment  which  leads  to  its  being 
retained.  A  new  and  improved  variety  presents  an  ir- 
resistible appeal  to  the  flower-lover.  The  greater  his 
success  as  a  plantsman  the  more  strongly  he  yearns  for 
the  best  material  on  which  to  exercise  his  skill. 

The  influence  of  flower-shows  has  also  to  be  taken 
into  account.  It  is  well  known  that  judges  are  impressed 
favourably  by  beautiful  novelties.  Prizes  have  a  way 
of  going  to  stands  which,  with  equally  good  flowers,  have 
the  most  novelties  in  them.  Indubitably  flower-shows 
exercise  great  sway  over  gardens.  Prize-winners  come 
to  be  looked  upon  as  leaders,  and  allowed  to  "  set  the 
fashion."  The  varieties  which  the  cup-holder  grows 
attract  the  notice  of  a  host  of  followers,  who  feel  that 
they  must  grow  them  too. 

The  most  profitable  part  of  the  trade  of  a  commercial 
florist  is  that  which  deals  with  novelties,  and  the  con- 
sequence is  that  flower-lovers  are  provided  with  a  copious 
and  unceasing  stream  of  varieties  under  new  names. 
They  are  not  always  genuine  novelties  ;  the  opportunity 
of  getting  a  higher  price  sometimes  tempts  an  unscrupu- 
lous florist  to  send  out  an  old  variety  under  a  fresh  name  ; 
but  the  principal  firms  are  too  jealous  of  their  reputation 
to  descend  to  sharp  practice. 

It  will  be  worth  while  to  take  the  principal  flower- 
garden  plants  in  alphabetical  order  and  see  what  are  the 
best  creations  in  them  ;  the  opportunity  may  be  seized 
of  dealing  with  the  principal  cultural  points. 

ACONITUM  (MONKSHOOD).— The  poisonous  nature 
of  this  handsome  plant,  and  the  fact  that  there  have  been 


42  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

cases  in  which  the  roots  have  been  mistaken  for  Horse- 
radish and  eaten  with  fatal  results,  does  not  prevent 
flower-lovers  from  using  it  in  their  borders.  Nor,  with 
reasonable  care,  should  there  be  any  trouble.  In  all 
conscience  the  Monkshood,  with  its  dark  green  serrated 
leaves  and  tall  spikes  of  dark  blue  flowers,  is  different 
enough  from  the  rambling  Horse-radish.  The  common 
Monkshood,  Aconitum  Napellus,  is  a  good  border  plant, 
and  I  would  call  attention  to  the  beauty  of  the  variety 
bicolor,  which  has  white  flowers,  margined  with  violet, 
and  is  to  my  mind  a  more  attractive  plant  than  the  pure 
white  form,  album.  Wilsoni  is  a  new  Chinese  species 
with  blue  flowers,  late  blooming.  In  poor  soil  the  Monks- 
hood  may  be  used  near  the  front  of  a  small  border, 
but  where  the  soil  is  deep,  rich  and  moist  they  will  grow 
four  feet  high  or  more,  and  should  be  set  farther  back. 

ADONIS. — Few  of  the  smaller  perennials  are  better 
known  than  Adonis  vernalis,  which  is  largely  planted  for 
the  brightness  of  its  yellow  flowers  in  spring.  Lovers 
of  the  cheerful  old  plant  may  consider  the  claims  of  the 
double  form  (plena)  of  the  less  familiar  species  amurensis. 
Yellow,  with  green  centre,  the  flowers  are  borne  in  spring 
on  stems  about  a  foot  high.  It  is  a  good  plant,  and  quite 
easy  to  grow  in  the  ordinary  soil  of  the  herbaceous 
border. 

ANCHUSA  (BUGLOSS).— That  beautiful  Boragewort, 
Anchusa  Italica,  has  long  been  esteemed  by  lovers  of 
hardy  plants  for  its  brilliant  blue  flowers,  but  it  is  now 
giving  place  in  gardens  to  what  is  called  the  Dropmore 
variety.  I  do  not  know  of  any  blue-coloured  perennial 
to  vie  with  this  noble  plant.  In  well-tilled  soil,  and  with 
adequate  moisture,  it  will  form  a  bush  four  feet  high 
and  through,  with  flowers  in  short  branchlets  on  long 


BORDER   PLANTS  43 

spikes,  making  the  plant  a  pyramid  of  bloom  from  near 
the  ground  to  the  tip.  The  flowers  are  of  shining  Gentian 
or  Salvia  patens  blue.  Even  on  a  thin,  poor,  chalky  soil, 
and  in  a  dry  season,  I  have  had  it  a  yard  high  and  full  of 
bloom  ;  on  rich  soil  it  is  nearly  double  the  size.  It  is 
at  its  best  in  June  and  July,  but  it  is  beautiful  for  many 
weeks.  There  is  no  more  valuable  plant  for  massing  in 
wide  borders,  and  it  could  be  used  with  splendid  effect 
in  large  beds  with  a  vigorous  white  early  blooming  Rose 
like  Blanc  double  de  Coubert,  or  with  salmon  and  white 
Sweet  Peas  sown  in  autumn  to  give  early  summer  bloom. 
Liberally  grouped,  the  plants  would  give  glorious  colour 
pictures.  The  Dropmore  Bugloss  has  a  thick,  strong, 
Seakale-like  root,  which  may  be  set  three  or  four  inches 
below  the  surface  in  planting,  and  by  which  it  may  be 
propagated  in  spring,  the  roots  being  cut  up  into  pieces 
and  put  into  soil  well  lightened  with  sand.  Opal  is  a 
splendid  variety  with  lighter  flowers,  and  Perry's  variety 
is  large  and  fine. 

ANEMONES. — Alpine-lovers,  equally  with  herbaceous 
gardeners,  find  uses  for  the  charming  Windflowers.  The 
latter  work  chiefly  with  the  Poppy  and  Japanese  Ane- 
mones. In  POPULAR  GARDEN  FLOWERS  I  showed  how 
it  is  possible  to  get  Anemone  bloom  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  year  by  choosing  different  kinds,  and  starting 
some  of  the  varieties  at  different  periods.  I  may  here  say 
that  while  Lady  Ardilaun,  Vase  d'Argent  and  Whirlwind 
remain  among  the  best  varieties  of  the  Japanese  Ane- 
mone, Alice  is  a  fine  carmine  rose,  and  rosea  superba 
a  splendid  pink,  King  of  Scarlets  remains  the  most 
valuable  of  the  double  Poppy  Anemones.  Lovers  of 
the  Pasque  Flower,  which  may  be  used  alike  in  rockery 
and  border,  should  become  acquainted  with  the  dark 


44  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

red  form,  pulsatilla  rubra,  and  with  the  fine  white  variety 
White  Swan. 

ANTIRRHINUM  (SNAPDRAGON).— The  great  florists 
of  Scotland  have  done  noble  service  in  providing  flower- 
lovers  with  a  long  array  of  exquisite  Snapdragons, 
graded  into  heights,  so  that  they  may  be  used  for  bold 
groups  in  borders,  in  beds,  or  for  edgings.  These  have  been 
selected  with  so  much  care  that  a  wide  range  of  colours 
come  true  to  tint  from  seed,  and  grouping  may  therefore 
be  practised  with  perfect  confidence.  Some  of  the  shades 
are  very  uncommon.  Take  the  variety  Moonlight  as  an 
example,  a  sort  of  orange-buff ;  this  has  a  beautiful  tone 
of  colour  which  is  found  in  few  flowers ;  the  height 
of  the  plant  is  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet.  Blooming  in 
late  summer  it  might  be  associated  in  beds  with  the  later 
annuals,  such  as  the  lovely  Clarkia  elegans  Firefly  and 
the  splendid  dwarf  blue  Delphinium  Butterfly,  which, 
grown  as  a  biennial,  comes  two  feet  high,  and  is  altogether 
a  bolder  and  more  vigorous  plant  than  when  treated 
as  an  annual.  Other  useful  Antirrhinums  are  Cottage 
Maid,  which  has  soft  pink  flowers  ;  Vesuvius,  orange  ; 
and  Brilliant,  which  is  deep  rose  ;  all  grow  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches  high.  Crimson,  yellow,  and  white  selfs 
can  be  procured  separately,  and  will  come  true  from  seed, 
which  may  be  sown  in  a  cold  frame  or  greenhouse  in  the 
fall,  or  in  a  warm  structure  in  winter ;  the  seedlings 
are  best  kept  in  frames  in  the  spring  until  the  time  comes 
for  them  to  go  out  into  the  garden.  Those  who  do  not 
want  to  group  their  plants  in  colours  will  probably  sow 
mixed  seed,  which  throws  a  large  number  of  pretty  and 
uncommon  shades. 

AQUILEGIA  (COLUMBINE).— One  must  fain  mention 
this  beautiful  plant.  At  the  same  time,  it  stands  practi- 


BORDER   PLANTS  45 

cally  where  it  did  ten  years  ago.  Growers  seem  to  be 
satisfied  with  mixed  seedling  hybrids,  and  with  such 
beautiful  species  as  alpina,  caerulea,  chrysantha,  glandu- 
losa,  pyrenaica  and  Skinneri  available ;  besides,  they  do  not 
ask  for  named  florists  forms.  The  popular  type  now 
is  a  long-spurred  flower,  and  this  can  be  had  in  a  variety 
of  colours  from  seed  of  mixed  hybrids  sown  in  the  garden 
in  early  summer  and  transplanted  in  the  fall. 

ASTER. — The  most  remarkable  of  the  newer  perennial 
Asters,  popularly  known  as  Starworts  and  Michaelmas 
Daisies,  is  probably  the  double  mauve  called  Beauty  of 
Colwall.  The  colour  is  good  and  the  flowers  are  quite 
double.  Hitherto  single  forms  have  been  grown  ex- 
clusively, but  this  modern  double  is  so  good  that  it  is 
sure  of  a  place,  and  it  is  likely  to  be  followed  by  varieties 
of  similar  form  but  different  shade.  The  florists  have 
worked  a  good  deal  upon  dwarf  varieties  of  the  Novi- 
Belgii  section ;  Mrs.  J.  G.  Day,  pink ;  Mrs.  Huson 
Morris,  pink  ;  Hilda  Morris,  blue  ;  Climax,  lavender  or 
light  mauve  ;  Finchley  White  ;  Miss  Southall,  mauve  ; 
and  Mrs.  Duncan  Mann,  light  blue,  are  a  few  good 
modern  creations.  The  variety  of  ericoides  called  Delight, 
and  the  form  of  vimineus  offered  under  the  name  Lovely, 
should  not  be  overlooked.  Beaute  Parfaite,  violet  with 
yellow  centre,  and  Perry's  Favourite,  red,  are  two 
acquisitions  in  the  Amellus  set.  The  maker  of  large 
borders  will  naturally  draw  on  these  and  other  good 
Michaelmas  Daisies  for  his  late  summer  and  autumn 
bloom,  because  they  will  flower  profusely  in  almost  any 
soil,  and  with  judicious  staking  are  handsome  even  before 
they  come  into  bloom.  It  is  worth  while  to  introduce  new 
varieties  now  and  then,  partly  for  their  own  sakes,  partly 
for  the  opportunity  which  it  makes  of  getting  rid  of  old 


46  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

clumps,  which  are  apt  to  become  tiresome  through  over- 
growing smaller  things. 

ARTEMISIA  LACTIFLORA.— Very  little  interest  has 
hitherto  attached  to  the  Artemisias,  and  perhaps  the 
best-known  member  of  a  large  genus  has  been  the  species 
Abrotanum,  which  cottagers  grow  under  the  names  of 
Southernwood  and  Old  Man,  and  the  hoary  leaves  of 
which  are  strongly  scented.  With  the  introduction  of 
the  new  species  lactiflora  this  state  of  things  is  changed, 
for  gardeners  recognize  in  it  a  very  useful  thing  for  group- 
ing in  the  wild  garden  and  elsewhere.  The  plant  grows 
four  to  five  feet  high,  and  is  of  slender  habit,  with  dark 
green  graceful  foliage.  The  flowers  are  borne  in  freely 
branched  panicles  (in  a  "  panicle  "  the  flowering  branches 
are  divided  irregularly)  on  the  upper  part  of  the  stems, 
are  white,  and  are  fragrant.  It  is  a  late  summer  bloomer, 
and  is  not  unworthy  of  pot  culture. 

ASTILBE. — This  genus  embraces  Spiraea  Japonica,  one 
of  the  most  popular  of  spring-blooming  plants,  and  of 
which  the  variety  Silver  Sheaf,  with  pure  white  flowers,  is 
desirable.  Astilbe  grandis  is  a  new  Chinese  species,  re- 
sembling Davidii  in  growth,  but  with  white  instead  of 
crimson  flowers.  It  is  a  tall  plant  with  immense  leaves. 
Lemoinei  Plumet  Rose,  with  drooping  panicles  of  deep  rose 
flowers,  is  also  an  interesting  Astilbe ;  while  the  new  variety 
of  rivularis  called  major  should  not  be  overlooked, 
especially  by  those  who  practise  bog-gardening.  Arendsii 
Ceres  and  A.  Pink  Pearl,  the  former  rosy  lilac,  the  latter 
pink,  are  two  good  new  Astilbes  ;  they  grow  two  to  three 
feet  high  and  bloom  in  summer. 

CAMPANULAS.— Some  of  the  newer  dwarf  Bell- 
flowers  are  beautiful  for  the  front  of  the  border,  or  for 


BORDER   PLANTS  47 

the  rockery.  I  would  particularly  commend  the  variety 
of  pulla  (or,  as  some  authorities  describe  it,  hybrid 
between  pulla  and  carpathica)  called  G.  F.  Wilson,  for 
it  is  a  most  beautiful  plant,  growing  about  nine  inches 
high,  and  bearing  large  deep  blue  flowers  in  great  pro- 
fusion. An  equally  attractive  plant  is  Isabel,  which  I 
am  told  is  a  seedling  form  of  the  old  turbinata  ;  be  that 
as  it  may,  it  is  a  splendid  form,  a  little  taller  than  G.  F. 
Wilson,  and  with  more  expanded  flowers,  but  with  an 
equally  fine  colour.  Both  these  Bellflowers  are  grand 
plants,  owing  to  their  close  growth,  large  flowers,  rich 
colour  and  profusion  of  bloom.  They  do  me  yeoman's 
service  on  a  rock  bank  the  body  of  which  is  mere  chalk, 
surfaced  with  a  thin  layer  of  moderate  soil ;  the  plants 
make  the  best  of  poor  conditions  and  bloom  heroically, 
displaying  a  depth  of  tint  for  which  the  limestone  may 
partly  account.  Profusion  is  a  beautiful  mauve  hybrid,  six 
inches  high.  Kewensis,  a  hybrid  between  pulla  and  G.  F. 
Wilson,  is  good.  Venusta,  which  is  a  variety  of  carpathica 
with  pretty  lavender  flowers,  is  another  desirable  form. 
Of  the  Peach-leaved  (persicaefolia)  group,  while  the  best 
member  is  probably  the  double  white,  alba  plena,  I 
should  like  to  commend  the  variety  Moerheimii,  which 
bears  an  1 8-inch  spike  of  pure  white  single  flowers. 
Some  of  the  seedsmen  offer  good  blue  and  white  forms  of 
the  Peach-leaved  Bellflower  under  the  name  of  grandi- 
flora.  Easily  propagated  by  division  or  seed  in  a  frame 
in  spring,  the  Campanulas  are  among  the  kindliest  of 
blue-flowered  perennials. 

CANDYTUFT.— Although  perennial  plants  form  the 
principal  feature  of  borders,  the  flower-lover  should  not 
allow  himself  to  become  enslaved  by  any  class.  There 
are  few  borders  or  large  beds  in  which  a  space  does  not 


48  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

present  itself  near  the  front  here  and  there  for  a  patch 
of  some  favourite  annual,  and  particularly  is  this  the  case 
where  clumps  of  bulbs  are  used  for  spring  bloom.  A  few 
seeds  sprinkled  near  Daffodils  and  Tulips  while  they  are 
in  flower  will  give  a  natural  succession.  The  annuals  will 
be  coming  on  while  the  bulbs  are  going  off,  and  in  due 
course  will  worthily  fill  their  places.  All  the  best  of  the 
annuals  have  been  improved  in  recent  years,  and  few 
more  than  the  Candytuft.  The  modern  spiral  white, 
which  may  be  offered  under  the  name  of  White  Spiral, 
or  White  Queen,  or  White  Empress,  is  a  vast  improve- 
ment on  the  old  flat-headed  form,  and  lasts  much  longer. 
I  commend,  too,  a  variety  called  Rose  Cardinal,  for  its 
bright  colour.  The  heads  of  bloom  are  not  nearly 
so  deep  as  those  of  the  spiral  white,  and  it  is  a  relatively 
bad  seeder,  but  the  tint  is  distinct  and  pretty. 

CARNATION.— See  special  chapter. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.— With  the  Michaelmas  Daisy  as 
an  increasingly  powerful  competitor  the  Chrysanthemum 
does  not  occupy  that  commanding  position  as  a  late- 
blooming  garden  plant  which  it  would  otherwise  assuredly 
fill.  The  two  great  flowers  are  in  season  together,  and  the 
superior  hardiness  and  more  simple  culture  of  the  Michael- 
mas Daisy  gives  it  pre-eminence.  But  the  Chrysanthe- 
mum is  an  important  plant  in  colour-grouping,  and  might 
be  made  more  use  of  than  it  is  for  transplanting  from 
reserve  beds  to  take  the  places  of  fading  flowers,  for  it 
moves  well  even  when  in  bud  if  watering  is  practised 
liberally  both  before  and  after  the  shifting.  Strangely 
enough  it  is  the  cottager  who  makes  most  use  of  the 
Chrysanthemum.  The  Michaelmas  Daisy  does  not  ap- 
peal to  him,  although  it  is  the  hardier  of  the  two  and 
never  disappoints  by  dying  out  in  a  wet  winter  as  the 


BORDER   PLANTS  49 

Chrysanthemum  is  apt  to  do.  The  modern  large  single 
Chrysanthemums  are  very  popular  for  pot  culture,  and 
they  might  be  used  in  the  garden  in  districts  where  early 
frosts  are  not  prevalent.  'Altrincham  Yellow,  Mrs. 
Tresham  Gilbey,  and  Sandown  Radiance  are  giant  singles. 
Ideal  is  also  large.  But  the  flowers  of  the  large  singles 
are  more  quickly  marred  by  frosts  than  those  of  the 
double  sorts.  Those  who  feel  compelled,  from  exigen- 
cies of  climate,  to  restrict  their  attention  to  the  latter 
would  find  in  the  bright  yellows,  Guinea  Gold  and 
Gascoigne,  the  rosy  Aquitaine,  the  white  Roi  des  Blancs, 
and  the  bronzy  Ryecroft  Glory,  that  compactness  of 
habit  and  freedom  of  blooming  which  are  looked  for  in 
the  good  grouper.  A  few  roots  wintered  in  a  cool  place 
will  give  plenty  of  cuttings  in  spring,  and  with  this  pro- 
vision made  the  bulk  of  the  plants  may  be  left  to  take 
their  chance  in  the  garden.  When  we  think  of  Chrysan- 
themums we  must  not  let  our  thoughts  become  absorbed 
by  the  florists'  varieties,  thus  losing  sight  of  the  species 
maximum,  the  great  white  Shasta  or  Moon  Daisy,  for 
the  newer  varieties  are  conspicuous  by  their  huge  size, 
while  they  hold  their  flowers  for  many  weeks  and  will 
make  large  bushes  in  poor  soil.  I  may  mention  the  variety 
G.  H.  Sage  as  a  fine  sort  with  fringed  flowers,  while 
Mrs.  C.  Lowthian  Bell,  Mrs.  J.  Tersteeg  and  White  Lady 
are  three  splendid  large-flowered  forms. 

CISTUS  (ROCK  ROSE). — Every  flower  gardener  who 
has  hot,  dry  sites  to  furnish  should  make  a  collection  of 
three  particular  plants :  the  Cistus  or  Rock  Rose, 
the  Helianthemum  or  Sun  Rose,  and  the  Sedum  or 
Stonecrop.  Particularly  should  this  be  the  case  if  he  has 
to  furnish  a  rockery  on  limestone,  with  full  exposure  to 
sun.  The  objection  might  be  raised  to  the  Stonecrops 


50  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

that  the  flowers  are  of  little  beauty,  but  this  cannot  be 
urged  against  the  Rock  Rose,  for  not  many  hardy  plants 
have  more  beautiful  blossoms.  There  are  few  sites  too 
hot,  few  soils  too  poor,  for 'the  Cistus.  Sites  that  in  the 
old  days  would  be  left  unfurnished,  such  as  arid  banks, 
will,  under  the  new  gardening,  which  fits  plants  to  their 
environment,  and  does  not  court  failure  by  trying  to 
force  on  a  particular  site  plants  which  are  alien  to  it,  be 
made  to  blossom  as  the  Rose.  Aye,  the  Rose  itself  shall 
help  the  Cistus,  the  Helianthemum  and  the  Stonecrop  ; 
for,  as  we  shall  presently  see  when  we  deal  with  Roses, 
the  modern  "  Memorial  "  Roses  are  well  adapted  for 
covering  banks,  and  have  remarkable  interest  and  beauty. 
I  pick  from  my  collection  of  Cistuses  the  names  of  a  few 
species  which  cannot  but  charm  every  grower.  Cor- 
bariensis  is  so  old  a  plant  that  we  can  only  find  any 
novelty  about  it  in  the  way  in  which  it  is  used.  That,  if 
you  please,  shall  be  in  cutting  out  the  coarse  tussocks 
from  yonder  corner,  setting  in  some  rock,  and  putting 
this  exquisite  plant  amongst  them.  It  is  dwarf  as  Cistuses 
go — a  foot  high  in  a  dry  year  on  poor  limestone,  perhaps 
two  feet  in  a  wet  year  on  better  soil.  The  flowers  remind 
us  of  those  of  a  large  white  Japanese  Anemone,  but  are 
more  cupped  ;  they  are  white,  with  a  cluster  of  orange 
anthers.  Like  the  rest  of  the  Cistuses,  the  flowers  are 
transient,  or,  to  employ  the  botanist's  word,  fugacious  ; 
they  last  only  a  day,  but  into  that  brief  period  is  crowded 
an  intensity  of  beauty  which  enshrines  them  in  the 
memory.  And  day  by  day  in  early  summer  fresh  crops 
of  the  lovely  blossoms  come.  The  Corbar  Cistus  is  a 
native  of  Spain  and  is  classed  by  some  as  a  form  of 
salvifolius.  Cyprius  resembles  it  in  bloom,  but  is  a  much 
larger  plant.  Ladaniferus,  another  of  the  taller  species,  is  a 
beautiful  and  popular  Cistus,  the  white  flowers  of  which  are 


Photograph  :  Sutton  &  Sons 
DOUBLE     CLARKIA     PULCHELLA 


BORDER   PLANTS  51 

marked  with  five  distinct  chocolate  blotches.  The  same 
scheme  of  colour  prevails  in  the  plant  sent  to  me  under 
the  name  of  lusitanicus,  which,  according  to  the  botanical 
authorities,  is  yellow ;  it  is,  however,  possibly  variable. 
Salvifolius  is  a  dwarf  species  with  white  flowers,  and  here 
again  the  prominent  yellow  anthers  are  a  conspicuous 
feature.  Crispus  differs  from  the  majority  of  the  Rock 
Roses  in  having  dark  crimson  or  magenta  flowers  ;  it  is 
a  dwarf  grower.  Florentinus  is  a  tall  species  with  white 
flowers,  and  must  be  a  form  of,  or  possibly  identical  with, 
latifolius.  The  sun-loving  Rock  Roses  are  not  perfectly 
hardy,  and  on  that  account  growers  often  take  the  pre- 
caution of  putting  a  few  cuttings  under  a  hand-light  in 
early  autumn  and  wintering  the  young  plants  thus  pro- 
cured under  glass,  so  as  to  have  a  reserve  in  case  of 
necessity.  Where  they  have  proved  to  be  safe  they  may 
be  layered  after  flowering  as  they  stand.  Groups  of 
Cistuses  should  be  used  in  all  dry  borders. 

CLARKIA. — Whenever  opportunities  arise  of  introduc- 
ing hardy  annuals  to  the  herbaceous  border,  or  wherever 
beds  of  these  beautiful  plants  are  being  made,  the  modern 
forms  of  the  Clarkia  should  have  consideration.  The 
original  species  were  elegans  and  pulchella,  the  former  a 
Calif ornian,  the  latter  a  North  American  plant.  Both 
have  been  developed  by  florists,  but  the  most  valuable 
modern  forms  are  varieties  of  elegans.  The  ordinary 
double,  flore  pleno,  is  quite  worth  growing,  for  it  bears 
long,  slender  stems  of  pretty  double  pale  rose  flowers, 
which  are  excellent  for  cutting.  There  are,  however, 
modern  forms  which  are  superior,  among  which  I  would 
name  Firefly,  with  scarlet  flowers  ;  Snowball,  white  ;  and 
Double  Salmon.  Firefly  is  the  most  brilliant,  but  the 
colour  of  the  Double  Salmon  is  exquisite,  and  it  may  be 


52  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

toned  with  Sweet  Peas  like  Helen  Lewis,  Stirling  Stent 
and  Thomas  Stevenson  in  vases.  These  Clarkias  are 
hardy  and  vigorous  plants,  and  do  not  mind  poor  soil. 
If  well  thinned  when  young  they  make  beautiful  clumps, 
and  as  they  last  well  they  are  as  good  as  any  herbaceous 
plant.  It  is  worth  noting,  too,  that  they  do  admirably  in 
pots.  Their  great  charm  lies  in  their  long  graceful  red 
stems,  clothed  from  top  to  bottom  with  flowers.  They 
are  as  beautiful  in  tall  slender  vases  in  summer  as  a 
blossom-wreathed  branch  of  Cherry  or  Apple  in  the 
spring. 

COSMOS  or  COSMEA.— The  value  of  these  graceful 
nearly  hardy  annuals  lies  in  the  varieties  of  bipinnatus,  a 
Mexican  plant  of  old  standing,  but  only  recently  taken 
up  seriously  for  improvement  by  florists.  The  white 
forms  are  not  infrequently  taken  for  Japanese  Anemones 
by  people  who  do  not  know  the  foliage  of  the  two  plants, 
but  the  flowers  are  not  so  smooth  and  symmetrical  as 
those  of  Anemones.  They  are  late  summer  bloomers,  and 
may  be  giving  flowers  in  the  fall.  Seedsmen  offer  them 
in  separate  colours,  and  florists  list  two  varieties  called 
respectively  Rose  Queen  and  White  Queen ;  but  while 
the  latter  is  truly  white  the  former  is  rather  lilac  than 
rose.  They  are  graceful  plants  two  or  three  feet  high, 
with  the  flowers  on  long  stems.  They  look  well  in  the 
border  and  are  also  good  for  cutting. 

DAFFODILS. — See  special  chapter. 

DAHLIAS. — A  condition  of  lifelessness  marks  the 
Dahlia.  There  is  interest  in  the  Cactus  novelties,  but  it  is 
not  so  brisk  as  it  was  a  few  years  ago.  Public  interest  tends 
to  flag,  and  a  down-grade  is  threatened.  But  the  cottager 
clings  to  the  plant,  and  there  is  still  a  fairly  strong  ex- 


Photograph  :  Kdway  &  Son,  Langport 
A    GROUP    OF     DELPHINIUMS 


BORDER    PLANTS  53 

hibiting  circle.  While  these  two  classes  stand  firm  the 
flower  will  only  decline  slowly.  Meanwhile,  so  far  as  the 
flower-garden  is  concerned,  interest  centres  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Paeony-flowered  type,  for  it  is  in  this  that 
the  greatest  possibilities  of  garden  beauty  lie.  It  is  a 
significant  sign  that  some  of  the  most  enterprising  raisers 
are  giving  it  the  attention  which  they  once  devoted  to 
the  Cactus  Dahlia.  New  colours  are  forthcoming,  and 
the  demand  for  them  suggests  that  the  Pseony  Dahlia  is 
about  to  enter  on  a  period  of  popularity,  without  actually 
creating  the  stir  that  the  Cactus  aroused  a  few  years 
previously.  Varieties  equal  to  Lady  Saville,  orange  ; 
Mrs.  T.  G.  Baker,  white ;  Solfatara,  scarlet ;  Loveliness, 
pink ;  Garibaldi,  maroon ;  Lady  Allison,  pale  pink ; 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Wythes,  cardinal ;  Rev.  Hugh  Berners, 
bronzy  yellow  ;  and  King  Leopold,  crimson,  are  sure  of 
a  welcome.  The  Cactus  varieties  have  probably  reached 
the  end  of  their  tether  ;  the  novelties  do  not  differ  much 
from  the  older  forms,  either  in  shape  or  colour.  The 
singles  are  also  practically  standard.  I  do  not  look  for 
much  from  the  Star  Dahlias,  which  are  singles  with  gappy 
florets,  nor  from  the  Collarette  section,  which  are  singles 
with  a  collar  of  short  florets  in  the  middle  ;  there  is  no 
element  of  greatness  about  either. 

DELPHINIUMS.— The  stately  perennial  Larkspur,  with 
its  lofty  spires  of  blue,  has  taken  a  place  among  the  in- 
dispensable border  plants.  There  is  nothing  to  fill  its 
place,  and  to  give  us  those  beautiful  shades  of  light  and 
dark  blue  which  it  embraces.  A  few  years  ago  it  seemed 
that  a  point  had  been  reached  at  which  further  improve- 
ment could  not  go,  but  that  great  floricultural  wizard 
Lemoine,  of  Nancy,  who  was  for  many  years  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  figures  among  raisers  of  new  plants, 


54  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

lit  upon  a  new  strain  of  remarkable  merit,  large  in 
bloom  and  of  beautiful  colours.  I  may  mention  three 
varieties  which  are  probably  destined  to  play  a  great 
part  in  the  flower  borders  of  the  future.  The  first  is 
Mont  Sal  vat,  mauve,  with  blue  edge,  double,  very  large 
flowers.  The  second  is  Pasteur,  an  immense  double  blue. 
The  third  is  Victor  de  la  Prade,  violet.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  the  new  type  of  Delphinium  will  oust  the  old  from 
many  gardens.  One  of  the  best  of  the  white  Delphiniums 
is  Moerheimi.  Rev.  F.  Lascelles  is  a  good  purplish  blue 
with  white  centre.  The  Alake  is  a  huge  semi-double,  dark 
blue  in  colour  with  white  eye.  Other  splendid  new 
Delphiniums  are  Mrs.  T.  G.  Baker,  Mrs.  Plant,  Pendrell, 
Purple  Velvet,  Theodora,  Monarch  of  All,  Star  of 
Langport,  and  Capri.  Ivory  Queen  is  also  worth  men- 
tioning. 

DORONICUMS. — The  Leopard's-banes  are  useful  for 
spring  flowering,  but  they  do  not  last  long  and  the  stems 
should  be  cut  back  when  the  flowers  fade. 

DROACOCEPHALUMS. — The  Dragon's-heads  are  grace- 
ful plants,  and  a  point  in  their  favour  is  that  they 
bloom  well  in  dry  seasons.  Ruyschianum,  Japonicum, 
and  Ruprechti  might  all  be  planted. 

EREMURUS. — There  are  few  hardy  plants  to  vie  in 
stately  beauty  with  these  Himalayan  giants,  whose  tall, 
strong  stems,  in  some  cases  rising  eight  to  ten  feet  high, 
and  great  trusses  of  bloom,  have  a  noble  effect  in  the 
herbaceous  border  or  wild  garden.  Most  of  the  species 
are  now  well  known,  and  indeed  the  list  is  but  small : 
Bungei,  yellow  ;  himalaicus,  white  ;  Kaufmanni,  brown- 
ish yellow  ;  and  robustus,  pink.  Elwesianus,  a  seedling 
form  with  bright  pink  flowers,  is  also  familiar.  Himrob  is 


BORDER   PLANTS  55 

a  hybrid  between  the  two  species  himalaicus  and  robus- 
tus,  and  has  pale  pink  or  blush-coloured  flowers.  Warei 
is  a  new  species  from  Turkestan,  late-blooming  and  with 
fawn-coloured  flowers.  Flower-lovers  will  gladly  find 
places  for  improved  forms  of  these  notable  plants.  It 
is  well  to  set  them  in  sheltered  places,  so  that  they  may 
not  be  harassed  by  cold,  cutting  winds.  They  enjoy  a 
moist  and  fertile  soil ;  dry,  shallow  ground  does  not  suit 
them.  The  root-stocks  are  remarkable,  and  as  they  are 
brittle  they  should  be  handled  carefully  and  not  twisted 
in  planting. 

ERIGERONS.  —  Aurantiacus,  Coulteri,  mucronatus, 
Roylei,  speciosus  and  superbus  are  all  good  medium- 
height  border  plants. 

FUCHSIA. — Several  kinds  are  worth  planting  in  mild 
places,  notably  gracilis,  macrostema  and  Riccartoni. 

GrAILLARDIA. — This  plant  holds  its  own  in  the  garden, 
but  there  is  little  reason  to  suppose  that  it  will  be  subjected 
to  an  active  progress  of  development.  It  has  a  place  in 
the  border  because  of  its  free  blooming,  its  duration,  and 
its  cheerful  colours  ;  but  the  flowers  have  not  sufficient 
intrinsic  quality  to  encourage  the  expectation  that  they 
will  ever  become  highly  specialized.  A  named  variety 
appears  now  and  then,  but  the  interest  which  it  arouses 
is  only  languid,  and  flower-gardeners  seem  satisfied  with 
grandiflora  and  such  mixtures  of  singles  and  doubles  as 
the  seedsmen  supply.  Lady  Rolleston  may  be  mentioned 
as  a  good  self  yellow  variety.  One  great  virtue  of  the 
Gaillardias  is  that  they  will  not  only  thrive  in  poor  soil, 
but  flower  profusely  even  in  long  spells  of  dry  weather. 
They  come  readily  from  seed  sown  outside  in  early 
summer  or  under  glass  in  late  winter. 


5  6  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

GERBERA. — There  is  great  interest  in  the  coloured 
forms  of  G.  Jamesoni,  but  they  need  frame  or  cool  house 
culture,  except  in  very  mild,  sheltered  places  near  the 
sea. 

GEUM  (AVENS). — The  old  species  coccineum  has  long 
been  valued  as  a  border  plant  because  of  its  brilliant 
colour,  for  the  sake  of  which  flower-gardeners  have  gladly 
tolerated  a  somewhat  straggly  habit.  Truth  to  tell,  there 
are  few  hardy  plants  which  give  the  hues  of  the  Geums. 
A  variety  of  Chiloense  (syn.  coccineum)  called  Mrs.  J. 
Bradshaw  should  receive  the  particular  attention  of  those 
who  love  this  plant,  for  its  flowers  are  large  and  perfectly 
double,  while  the  colour  is  vivid  in  the  extreme — a 
brilliant,  glittering  light  scarlet.  Montanum  maximum 
might  also  be  noted,  for  its  large  flowers  of  glowing  orange- 
yellow  are  very  showy  ;  it  is  of  closer  habit  than  cocci- 
neum. Those  who  have  to  garden  on  poor  soil  have  reason 
to  be  grateful  for  the  Geums,  which  thrive  on  the  poorest 
chalk,  and  are  in  bloom  for  many  weeks. 

GLADIOLI. — We  have  here  a  plant  which,  like  the 
Daffodil,  is  more  often  bedded  than  grouped  in  borders. 
The  belief  that  it  is  best  to  take  up  the  roots  in  autumn 
and  store  them  has  no  doubt  something  to  do  with  the 
method  of  culture  adopted.  But  the  cheaper  Gladioli, 
such  as  Brenchleyensis,  might  be  used  in  colour  grouping, 
and  left  to  winter  in  the  open  ground,  especially  on  light 
and  well-drained  soils.  Unless  wire  worms  abound  they 
are  well  able  to  fend  for  themselves,  and  in  any  case  they 
are  cheap.  We  find,  however,  that  a  certain  percentage 
of  bulbs  do  not  reappear,  and  this  fact  will  prevent  us 
from  entrusting  more  expensive  varieties  to  the  mercies 
of  the  weather  and  ground  pests.  These  better  sorts 
may,  however,  still  be  used  in  the  borders  if  their  sites 


Photograph  :  Sutton  6-  Sons 


GERBERAS 


BORDER   PLANTS  57 

are  clearly  marked,  and  the  plants  kept  under  regular 
observation.  It  is  not  much  trouble  to  take  them  up 
in  the  autumn  and  set  cheap  early-blooming  Tulips  in 
their  places  ;  the  Tulips  can  be  sacrificed  when  they  go 
out  of  bloom  in  April.  Fresh  loam,  with  a  sprinkling  of 
bone  meal,  should  be  used  when  the  Gladioli  are  re-planted. 
There  are  few  better  varieties  than  Angele,  cream  ; 
Armagnac,  crimson ;  Canicule,  scarlet,  yellow  throat ; 
Enchantresse,  lilac,  suffused  rose  ;  Halle,  blush  ;  Grand 
Rouge,  crimson  ;  Marie  Therese,  cream  ;  Pascal,  rose, 
white  throat ;  Sanspareil,  orange,  white  throat ;  and  Van 
Dael,  pink  ;  for  not  only  are  the  colours  bold  and  clear, 
but  the  flowers  are  well  set  on  the  spike.  There  is  an 
interesting  Gladiolus,  little  known  even  to  lovers  of  this 
flower,  called  tristis  concolor  ;  it  has  few  claims  to  beauty 
in  comparison  with  the  great  hybrids,  for  the  flowers  are 
greenish  white  in  colour ;  but  it  has  a  delicious  evening 
scent.  It  differs  from  the  majority  in  being  a  spring 
bloomer.  Another  interesting  Gladiolus  is  praecox,  which 
is  so  early  a  bloomer  that  it  can  be  had  in  flower  in  summer 
from  seed  sown  in  heat  early  the  same  year ;  there  are 
several  colours. 

GYPSOPHILA  (LACE  FLOWER  or  CHALK  PLANT).— 
The  majority  of  those  who  grow  Gypsophilas  do  so  for  the 
use  of  the  gauzy  flowers  as  auxiliaries  to  cut  bloom  of 
larger  and  more  brilliant  things.  So  light  and  intangible 
are  they  that  they  serve  as  a  foil ;  and  are  often  set  like 
a  veil  over  bouquets.  But  if  a  few  sprays  are  wanting  in 
individuality  a  large  plant  of  the  popular  species  panicu- 
lata,  three  or  four  feet  high  and  through,  is  striking.  The 
new  double  form  flore  pleno  is  considered  by  many  to  be 
superior  to  the  old  single  type,  and  may  be  commended 
to  the  attention  of  those  who  admire  these  plants.  The 


58  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

flowers  are  pure  white.  The  species  elegans  may  be 
mentioned,  not  because  it  is  a  new  plant,  for  it  is  a  very 
old  one,  but  because  it  is  often  overlooked,  and  because 
many  people  are  unaware  that  if  seed  is  sown  in  the 
garden  in  spring  large  plants  can  be  had  in  full  bloom 
in  July.  Thus,  although  it  is,  like  paniculata,  a  perennial, 
it  can  be  grown  as  an  annual,  and  raised  in  quantity  at  a 
very  low  cost.  It  is  slightly  inferior  to  paniculata  for 
cut  flower  work,  nevertheless  it  is  quite  good.  While 
writing  of  the  Gypsophilas  I  may  take  the  opportunity 
of  mentioning  a  variety  of  the  old  species  prostrata 
called  rosea  as  a  pretty,  rapid-growing  rock  plant  which 
bears  a  profusion  of  pink  flowers  late  in  summer,  when  the 
rockery  is  none  too  well  furnished  with  bloom. 

HELLEBORES  (CHRISTMAS  and  LENTEN  ROSES). 
— Many  people  spoil  these  beautiful  plants  by  frequent 
shiftings.  They  never  thrive  so  well  as  when  they  are 
planted  in  good  soil,  in  a  somewhat  shaded  position,  and 
left  to  themselves.  If  they  have  to  be  moved  it  should 
be  done  when  they  are  making  new  roots  in  September, 
not  in  the  spring,  when  the  bulk  of  herbaceous  borders  are 
planted.  George  Barr,  purple,  and  Purpureus  superbus, 
dark  purple,  may  be  mentioned  as  two  of  the  best  of  the 
newer  dark  varieties.  The  whites  will,  of  course,  remain 
the  most  popular. 

HEMEROCALLIS  (DAY  LILY).— The  lover  of  these 
graceful  plants  is  doubtless  familiar  with  aurantiaca  and 
its  variety  major,  with  disticha  flore  pleno,  with  flava 
major,  with  fulva,  and  with  Kwanso  fl.  pi.  variegata — 
all  handsome  plants.  Citrina  is  a  rarer  species,  with  pale 
yellow  flowers.  Dr.  Regel  and  Sir  Michael  Foster  are 
beautiful  yellow  hybrids.  Three  fine  orange-coloured 
hybrids  are  Gold  Dust,  Orangeman  and  Sovereign. 


BORDER   PLANTS  59 

Dumortieri  is  a  good  orange  species.    These  add  interest 
to  the  genus. 

HEUCHERA. — From  the  time  of  its  introduction  in 
1885  Heuchera  sanguinea  has  held  the  interest  of  plants- 
men,  although  possibly  rather  as  a  rock  than  a  border 
plant.  It  is  sufficiently  vigorous  to  be  grown  in  the 
herbaceous  border  if  desired,  and  in  good  soil  it  makes  not 
inconsiderable  clumps.  I  find  that  it  is  a  pronounced 
lime-lover,  and  that  it  will  tolerate  a  hot  dry  bank  on 
chalk,  although  in  such  a  position  it  is  less  vigorous  than 
in  semi-shade  on  a  site  where  the  soil  is  deeper.  Several 
varieties  of  this  beautiful  and  popular  plant  are  worth 
noting,  namely,  Pink  Pearl,  a  bright,  sparkling  pink  ; 
Lady  Greenall,  scarlet ;  Pluie  de  Feu,  crimson  ;  and  the 
Edge  Hall  variety,  which  is  a  charming  shade  of  salmon- 
pink  :  others  may  be  expected.  There  is,  of  course,  a 
white.  Gracillima  alba  is  a  slender,  freely  branched  variety 
with  white  flowers. 

HOLLYHOCKS. — Is  the  Hollyhock  becoming  immune 
to  the  disease  which  has  devastated  the  plants  these  many 
years  past  ?  When  there  comes  a  dry  year  we  think  that 
it  is.  When  a  wet  year  follows  we  despair  again.  The 
plant  is  not  immune,  and  probably  will  never  be  so,  but 
plain,  natural  culture,  largely  from  seed,  has  had  its 
effect,  and  we  see  Hollyhock  pictures  in  gardens  which 
go  a  long  way  towards  recalling  the  good  old  times. 
There  would  be  more  of  these  pleasant  groups  if  growers 
would  take  the  precaution  of  spraying  the  plants  two  or 
three  times,  while  still  healthy,  with  Bordeaux  Mixture 
or  liver  of  sulphur.  It  has  to  be  remembered  that  the 
spores  of  the  fungus  which  causes  the  trouble  are  always 
present,  whether  we  see  traces  of  their  work  on  the  plants 
or  not,  and  the  best  time  to  spray  is  while  the  plants  are 


60  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

clean,  because  then  the  spores  cannot  develop.  As  stated 
under  Carnation,  the  liver  of  sulphur  crystals  must  be 
perfectly  fresh,  and  used  at  the  rate  of  one  ounce  to  three 
gallons  of  water.  There  are  no  signs  of  an  active  revival 
in  Hollyhock-growing.  Gardeners  have  learned  to  do 
without  the  plant,  and  have  had  proof  of  how  vulnerable 
it  is.  Theoretically  they  support  it,  in  practice  they 
ignore  it.  But  I  think  that  with  plain  garden  culture  and 
systematic  spraying  those  who  love  this  grand  old  flower 
might  restore  it  to  their  borders  with  confidence  of  a 
reasonable  reward.  Meanwhile,  there  is  nothing  to  be  said 
about  new  varieties,  because  there  is  neither  demand  nor 
supply. 

HYACINTHS. — In  greenhouse  and  room  the  Hyacinth 
is  fully  as  important  a  flower  as  either  the  Daffodil  or  the 
Tulip,  but  it  is  woefully  behind  as  a  garden  plant,  and 
it  is  almost  entirely  neglected  as  a  border  flower.  The 
reasons  are  obvious  :  the  plant  is  dumpy,  its  beauty  is 
short-lived,  and  a  widespread  opinion  prevails  that  it  is 
only  a  one-season  plant.  But  the  Hyacinth  has  never  had 
a  fair  chance  of  proving  what  it  can  do,  because  gardeners 
have  bought  the  small,  cheap,  "  bedding  "  bulbs,  and 
given  no  special  attention  to  the  moisture-supply,  which 
is  vital  to  success  in  Hyacinth-growing.  With  good  first- 
size  named  Hyacinths  offered  at  three  shillings  per  dozen 
there  is  no  serious  obstacle  to  planting  a  class  of  bulb 
which  is  generally  reserved  for  pots  and  glasses,  and  if 
the  use  of  these  was  followed  up  by  giving  copious 
supplies  of  water  and  liquid  manure  in  March  and  April 
(liquid  manure  only  if  there  was  a  good  deal  of  rain)  I  am 
confident  that  the  results  would  astonish  and  delight  the 
grower.  It  is  true  that  the  Hyacinth  is  not  a  lasting 
flower,  but  its  duration  is  equal  to  that  of  most  of  the 


Photograph  :  Kelway  &•  Son,  Langt>ort 
INCARVILLEA     DELAVAYI 


BORDER   PLANTS  61 

Daffodils.  Groups  might  be  formed  with  a  groundwork 
of  Arabis  or  Aubrietia,  the  plants  of  which  would  run 
together  late  in  spring  and  obliterate  the  decaying  foliage 
of  the  bulbs.  Some  of  the  newer  Hyacinths  are  beautiful 
sorts,  and  if  too  expensive  for  the  garden  could  be  grown 
in  pots.  The  following  are  particularly  worthy  of  mention: 
Captain  Boyton,  light  blue  ;  Jacques,  pale  pink  ;  Schotel, 
light  blue  ;  Johan,  very  pale  blue  or  French  grey  ;  King 
Alfred,  medium  blue  ;  La  Victoire,  crimson ;  Isabella, 
double  blush  ;  City  of  Haarlem,  yellow  ;  King  Menelik, 
very  dark  blue.  All  of  these  should  be  grown  in  pots, 
glasses  or  bowls  of  fibre,  as  to  which  more  in  another 
chapter. 

INCARVILLEA. — The  beautiful  Delavayi  has  a  splen- 
did companion  in  the  newer  grandiflora,  which  is  dwarfer 
and  has  large  carmine  flowers.  Brevipes,  a  plant  re- 
cently introduced  from  China,  is  a  crimson  variety  of  it. 

INULA  GLANDULOSA. — This,  one  of  the  best  of  dwarf 
orange  Composites,  is  now  represented  by  an  improved 
variety  called  superba. 

IRIS. — This  great  flower  continues  to  advance.  The 
number  of  beautiful  hybrids  and  varieties  multiplies 
apace,  and  we  are  learning  fresh  uses  for  the  older  species. 
Beautiful  little  colonies  might  be  formed  in  the  her- 
baceous border  of  the  little  known  but  beautiful  kinds 
which  are  so  full  of  interest.  Let  me  instance  Bucharica, 
a  lovely  species  blooming  in  April,  white  flowers  with 
yellow  lip,  height  about  one  foot,  and  truly  Orchid-like. 
This  Iris  forms  an  exquisite  colony,  and  seems  to  be 
entirely  regardless  of  the  weather.  The  best  time  to 
plant  it  is  December.  There  is,  too,  graminea,  which 
has  purple  flowers  reticulated  with  white,  borne  in  May, 


62  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  grassy  leaves  ;  one  of  the  great  charms  of  this  small 
but  most  desirable  Iris  is  the  delicious  scent,  which  re- 
minds one  of  ripe  Apricots.  Reticulata  is  perhaps  too 
well  known  to  need  description  or  praise,  but  it  may  be 
well  to  mention  that  although  the  plant  is  hardy  it  is  well 
to  treat  it  as  though  it  were  not,  because  it  blooms  so 
early  that  the  flowers  are  liable  to  be  injured  by  frost, 
and  on  that  account  it  should  have  shelter.  The  same 
remark  applies  to  histrioides,  wrhich  is  even  earlier. 
Connoisseurs  might  note  the  variety  of  the  latter  called 
major,  which  is  not  only  larger  but  of  a  deeper  shade 
of  blue  ;  the  flowers  are  lined  with  yellow  and  rayed  with 
white.  Varieties  of  sibirica  are  forthcoming,  and  of  these 
I  may  mention  a  good  white  called  Snow  Queen,  and  a 
fine  blue  called  Blue  King.  The  Siberian  Iris  is  an  easily 
grown  and  very  useful  plant,  blooming  in  June.  I  do 
not  find  it  at  all  fastidious  as  to  soil,  but  on  rich,  moist, 
holding  ground  it  has  more  vigour  than  on  thin,  light,  dry 
soil.  The  height  may  be  expected  to  range  from  two 
to  three  feet,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  soil.  The 
flag-leaved  rhizome-rooted  Irises  have  a  very  numerous 
following.  A  fine  variety  of  Albicans  called  Princess  of 
Wales,  with  blush-coloured  flowers,  is  worth  noting  ;  and 
splendid  modern  "  Flags,"  which  the  admirer  of  this 
section  would  do  well  to  acquire,  are  King  of  Iris,  Black 
Prince  and  Maori  King.  There  is  a  charming  rose- 
coloured  form  of  pallida  called  Queen  of  May,  and  this 
will  make  a  good  companion  for  that  most  beautiful  of 
all  the  Flag  Irises,  pallida  dalmatica;  whose  exquisite, 
shimmering,  light  lavender  flowers  make  it  the  favourite 
of  all  beholders.  Both  the  Spanish  and  English  Irises, 
which  are  bulbous,  are  growing  in  favour,  as  is  shown 
by  the  brisk  interest  in  new  varieties.  Of  the  newer 
Spanish  yellows  Dr.  Kuyper  and  La  Citroniere  are  good, 


A     MODERN     FORM    OF     IRIS     GERMANICA 


BORDER   PLANTS  63 

while  of  blues  there  are  Beauty,  Excelsior,  Grand  Maitre, 
and  General  Gordon.  Marie  Stuart  is  a  good  new  white. 
But  the  older  sorts  will  not  be  despised  while  such  charm- 
ing things  as  Marie,  peacock-blue  and  yellow ;  Belle 
Chinoise,  yellow  ;  King  of  the  Blues,  blue  ;  Cajanus,  tall 
yellow  ;  Blanche  Superbe,  dwarf  white  ;  and  Thunder- 
bolt, bronze,  are  available.  These  June-blooming  Irises 
are  useful  for  clumps  in  the  border — and  they  are  almost 
ridiculously  cheap.  One  hardly  dare  write  of  the  new 
hybrid  Irises,  for  they  are  dear.  Regelio-Cyclus  Mars, 
Psyche,  Charon,  Hecate,  and  Isis  are  remarkable  hybrids. 
These  are  kinds  for  the  specialist,  who  has  long  ago 
exhausted  the  interest  in  well-known  species  like  alata, 
aurea,  ochroleuca,  stylosa,  Persica,  orchioides,  sind- 
jarensis,  sisyrinchium,  susiana,  florentina,  laevigata,  and 
the  great  Flags.  He  will  harass  the  few  firms  who  deal 
in  rare  novelties  until  he  acquires  them.  Warleyensis, 
azure,  and  Willmottiana,  lavender,  mottled  with  white, 
are  novelties  the  price  of  which  is  not  altogether  pro- 
hibitive, although  they  are  not  cheap  enough  to  be  planted 
in  quantity  by  everybody.  The  hybrids  between  pallida 
and  iberica  are  beautiful  plants ;  of  these  Sir  Dighton 
Probyn  and  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  may  be  named ;  but 
many  others  are  in  existence,  the  fruit  of  the  work  of  the 
late  Sir  Michael  Foster.  Another  set  of  hybrids,  called 
Intermediates,  are  available  for  specialists ;  they  have 
Germanica  blood,  and  may  be  described  as  small  Flag 
Irises ;  Dorothea,  Freya,  Halfdan,  Helge,  Ingeborg  and 
Ivorine  well  represent  them.  Mrs.  Alan  Gray  is  a  pretty 
lavender  hybrid  between  Cengialti  and  Queen  of  May. 

KNIPHOFIA  (TRITOMA,  TORCH  LILY,  RED-HOT 
POKER).— The  great  value  of  these  plants  lies  in  their 
giving  beautiful  groups  of  colour  at  the  end  of  summer. 


64  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

They  are  good  in  the  border,  and  likewise  in  isolated 
clumps  at  the  waterside  and  in  the  wild  garden.  The 
foliage  alone  is  handsome.  The  old  tall  species  varia, 
nobilis  and  grandis  are  excellent.  Novelty-lovers  will 
plant  Goldelse,  a  pale  yellow  of  medium  height ;  Chloris, 
old  gold,  medium  height ;  Lemon  Queen,  pale  yellow  ; 
and  Rufus,  red  and  yellow.  The  Torch  Lilies  like  a  deep 
moist  soil,  and  may  be  propagated  by  splitting  up  the 
rootstocks  when  offsets  form 

LILIES. — New  Lilies  do  not  come  rapidly,  for  the  world 
has  been  well  ransacked  for  species  of  so  popular  a  flower, 
and  it  has  not  given  anything  finer  than  the  old  auratum 
and  its  varieties,  chalcedonicum,  elegans,  croceum, 
umbellatum,  speciosum,  giganteum,  candidum,  longi- 
florum  and  others  whose  names  are  familiar.  Leu- 
canthemum  is  a  good  species  from  North- West  China  with 
greenish  white,  purple-tinged  flowers  of  the  form  of 
Harrisi,  height  five  to  six  feet.  The  variety  of  tigrinum 
named  Fortunei  is  becoming  one  of  the  most  popular  of 
Lilies ;  when  in  the  bud  stage  it  is  a  long  cone,  which 
expands  into  a  large  red  and  black  flower  ;  the  increasing 
favour  which  is  given  to  this  Lily  is  certainly  due  in  con- 
siderable part  to  its  great  vigour  and  remarkable  freedom 
of  flowering.  It  is  worth  noting  that  one  of  the  Lilies  of 
comparatively  recent  introduction,  rubellum,  which  has 
bright  pink,  funnel-shaped  flowers,  and  was  at  first 
looked  upon  as  mainly  suitable  for  pot  culture,  has  proved 
to  be  an  excellent  plant  for  growing  under  trees.  As 
it  is  a  really  beautiful  flower,  and  the  number  of  good 
plants  which  will  thrive  under  trees  is  limited,  this  point 
in  its  favour  may  be  legitimately  emphasized.  In  this 
connection,  too,  the  liking  of  the  noble  giganteum  for  a 
shady,  sheltered  place  among,  if  not  actually  under,  trees 


BORDER   PLANTS  65 

is  worthy  of  mention.  It  is  the  finest  of  all  the  Lilies,  not 
even  excepting  auratum,  for  its  foliage  is  beautiful.  It 
is,  however,  somewhat  slow  in  coming  into  bloom.  Lovers 
of  the  White  Garden  or  Madonna  Lily  like  to  group  it  in 
their  borders  with  Delphiniums  and  other  things,  but  the 
heavy  manuring  which  is  often  practised  in  borders 
probably  predisposes  the  plant  to  the  disease  of  which  it 
is  so  often  the  victim.  At  all  events  the  plant  is  generally 
most  healthy  when  growing  in  poor,  firm,  rather  dry  soil, 
with  the  roots  undisturbed.  It  will,  of  course,  grow 
vigorously,  and  for  a  year  or  two  flower  abundantly,  in 
rich,  moist  ground  ;  but  it  is  apt  to  collapse  suddenly,  and 
thereafter  refuse  to  thrive.  Myriophyllum  is  a  species 
collected  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Wilson  in  North- West  China,  and 
described  as  white  with  pink  suffusion  and  canary  centre. 

MARGUERITE. — The  popular  white  and  yellow  Mar- 
guerites of  the  window  boxes  need  no  mention,  but  atten- 
tion may  be  drawn  to  Mrs.  Sander,  a  beautiful  new  double 
white,  with  flowers  shaped  like  Anemones.  Young  plants 
can  be  put  in  borders  or  beds  in  May,  and  will  bloom 
freely  throughout  the  summer.  In  September  they  can 
be  lifted,  put  into  5-inch  pots,  and  housed  in  a  cool  green- 
house or  conservatory  for  winter-blooming.  Propagation 
may  be  effected  by  taking  cuttings  in  the  spring. 

MECONOPSIS  (HIMALAYAN  POPPY).— There  are 
several  magnificent  plants  in  this  genus  of  Poppyworts, 
and  the  flower-lover  should  make  a  special  study  of  them, 
for  few  things  will  give  him  greater  pleasure  when  they 
are  well  done.  Fortunately  their  culture  is  easy,  for  they 
respond  almost  as  readily  as  Sweet  Williams  to  culture  as 
biennials,  being  raised  annually  from  seed  to  bloom  the 
following  year.  The  glorious  M.  Wallichi,  for  example, 
with  its  exquisite,  satiny,  lavender-coloured  flowers,[which 


66  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

are  borne  on  stems  about  a  yard  high  in  summer,  is  a 
true  biennial.  One  finds  that  the  colour  varies.  While 
some  of  the  seedlings  come  of  the  true  lavender  tint 
which  is  so  much  admired,  others  are  a  muddy  mauve 
which  is  undesirable.  These,  however,  can  be  pulled  up 
and  thrown  away.  This  lovely  Poppywort  is  at  its  best 
in  a  cool,  moist  soil,  which,  however,  does  not  become 
stagnant  in  winter.  It  is  one  of  the  best  plants  for  the 
wild  garden,  and  may  be  grown  in  the  border  where  the 
requisite  conditions  can  be  provided.  The  handsome 
serrated  foliage  is  clothed  with  yellow  silky  hairs,  and 
the  mass  of  golden  stamens  in  the  flowers  add  to  their 
beauty.  Cambrica,  the  Welsh  Poppy,  is  perhaps  too 
familiar  to  need  special  mention,  but  attention  may  be 
directed  to  the  double  form,  plena,  which  has  perfectly 
double  yellow  flowers  streaked  with  scarlet.  Another 
splendid  species  is  integrifolia,  a  recent  introduction  from 
China,  growing  about  eighteen  inches  high,  the  flowers 
light  yellow  with  pale  orange  stamens.  Paniculata  is  a 
handsome  plant  growing  four  feet  high,  with  yellow 
drooping  flowers  borne  on  branching  stems.  The  leaves 
are  covered  with  silky  hairs.  Racemosa  is  a  purplish 
blue  species  from  the  Himalayas.  Seeds  of  all  the 
Meconopsis  should  be  sown  in  August  as  soon  as  they  are 
ripe  on  a  north  aspect  in  the  open  garden.  There  is  no 
difficulty  in  getting  plants. 

MONTBRETIA. — This  useful  genus  has  been  steadily 
improved  in  recent  years.  It  has  great  intrinsic  merit, 
for  the  plants  form  large  but  compact  clumps  in  almost 
any  soil,  and  throw  up  numbers  of  long  arching  flower- 
stems,  bearing  brilliant  flowers.  Like  that  modest  little 
flower  the  Primrose,  they  continue  to  spread  as  they  bloom, 
the^clumps  improving  throughout  the  summer  and  early 


MECONOPSIS     INTEGRIFOLIA 


BORDER    PLANTS  67 

autumn,  unless  the  weather  be  very  dry.  As  they  form 
abundance  of  young  plants  from  the  rootstock  propaga- 
tion by  division  is  a  simple  matter.  Of  the  modern 
Montbretias  none  is  finer  than  Prometheus,  which  has 
won  many  honours.  Its  merit  lies  rather  in  the  great  size 
than  in  the  distinct  colour  of  the  flowers,  which,  like 
many  of  the  Montbretias,  are  orange.  Another  good 
newish  variety  is  Norvic,  which  has  yellow  flowers  veined 
with  red.  Lord  Nelson  is  remarkable  for  its  deep  colour, 
which  approaches  crimson.  George  Davison  is  a  good 
orange-yellow.  Hereward  is  a  pale  orange.  King  Edward 
is  a  beautiful  yellow.  Lady  Hamilton  is  also  a  charming 
yellow  with  large,  flattish  flowers. 

OSTRO  WSKIA  MAGNIFICA  is  a  handsome  Campanula- 
like  plant  from  Central  Asia,  growing  from  four  to  six 
feet  high,  and  bearing  bell-shaped  lavender  flowers. 
Well-drained  loamy  soil  containing  lime  suits  it,  es- 
pecially if  the  site,  though  sunny,  is  sheltered ;  heavy 
winds  affect  it  adversely.  Propagation  is  by  seed  in 
spring. 

PffiONY. — The  flow  of  striking  new  varieties  of  her- 
baceous Paeonies,  which  was  very  strong  until  within 
quite  recent  years,  shows  signs  of  weakening;  indeed, 
the  flowers  have  been  developed  to  such  a  remarkable 
degree,  both  in  size  and  colour,  that  further  progress  can 
only  be  by  slow  and  indistinct  stages.  These  splendid 
plants  have  well  earned  the  high  position  which  they 
enjoy  in  the  favour  of  flower-gardeners,  and  in  particular 
they  have  proved  their  value  for  the  herbaceous  border, 
where,  whether  as  isolated  plants  or  as  groups,  they  have 
produced  brilliant  effects.  With  their  ample  foliage  and 
widespread,  flattish  growth  the  Pseonies  hardly  fall  into 
line  with  other  great  border  plants,  such  as  Delphiniums, 


68  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

Phloxes  and  Lilies,  but  they  help  to  give  that  unevenness 
of  level  and  outline  which  is  desirable  in  a  border.  Large 
groups  are  not,  however,  to  be  recommended  for  small 
borders,  because  the  plants  are  early  bloomers,  and  when 
the  great  masses  of  brilliant  flowers  are  past  a  consider- 
able gap  is  felt.  Pseonies  play  a  brave  part  up  to  July, 
with  the  pretty  tints  of  their  upspringing  stems  in  April 
and  May,  and  their  splendid  flowers  in  June  ;  but  after 
midsummer  they  are  sober  almost  to  dullness,  and  this 
fact  must  be  taken  into  account  when  planting.  Duchesse 
de  Nemours,  white  ;  Eugenie  Verdier,  soft  rose  ;  Festiva 
maxima,  white  ;  Glory  of  Somerset,  pink  ;  Grandiflora 
rosea,  salmon-pink ;  Henri  Demay,  violet ;  Louis  van 
Houtte,  crimson,  highly  scented  ;  Marie  d'Hour,  rose  ; 
Miss  Salway,  white,  sulphur  centre ;  Monsieur  Bou- 
charlat,  lilac ;  Princess  Irene,  pink,  yellow  centre ; 
Princess  Mathilde,  soft  rose  ;  and  Philomela,  rose,  yellow 
centre  have  become  standard  varieties.  Deep,  rich,  moist 
soil,  with  disturbance  only  at  long  intervals,  will  give 
them  a  good  chance  of  showing  what  is  in  them. 

PAP  AVER  (POPPY)  .—The  most  striking  section  of 
this  brilliant  plant  is  the  Oriental,  which  has  been 
developed  to  a  remarkable  degree.  The  original  species, 
orientale,  is  scarlet ;  but  the  florists  have  gone  on  to 
long  and  distant  roads,  producing  singular  shades  like 
those  of  art  fabrics.  A  few  of  the  great  new  Poppies  may 
be  mentioned,  for  they  appear  to  be  arousing  great 
interest  among  plantsmen.  Lady  Roscoe  is  salmon- 
pink.  Princess  Ena  is  shell-pink,  a  pretty  and  graceful 
sort.  Beauty  of  Livermere  has  blood-red  flowers.  Marie 
Studholme  is  brilliant  salmon-rose,  a  very  desirable 
tint  and  a  strong  grower,  altogether  one  of  the  best. 
Mrs.  Perry  is  another  salmcn-pink,  strong,  erect  and 


Photograph  :  Sutton  &  Sons 


POPPY     Mrs.    PERRY. 
A  variety  of  Papaver  Orientale  with  Salmon-Pink  Flowers 


>  -,- ,  •» 


BORDER   PLANTS  69 

free-blooming.  Kathleen  and  Princess  May  are  dark 
art  shades — singular,  swarthy  flowers,  almost  suggesting 
tapestry.  Fringed  Beauty  is  a  great  crimson  fringed 
flower  with  black  bars.  Queen  Alexandra  is  a  clear 
salmon.  Parkmanni  is  vermilion,  with  purple  patches. 
A.  W.  Chilley  is  a  light  "  art  "  shade.  Prince  of  Orange 
is  deep  orange,  while  Royal  Scarlet  and  Scarlet  Defiance 
are  two  large  vivid  scarlets.  Silver  Queen  is  pale  rose. 
These  great  Poppies  are  easily  grown  in  ordinary  border 
soil ;  given  rich,  moist  ground  the  flowers  may  be  nearly 
a  foot  across  and  the  stems  a  yard  high.  The  smaller 
Alpine  and  Iceland  Poppies  will  not  escape  the  notice 
of  those  who  like  this  genus,  especially  in  view  of  their 
value  in  the  rock  garden. 

PENTSTEMON.— These  beautiful  late  summer  and 
autumn  flowers  maintain  a  steady  advance,  and  while  few 
who  have  grown  them  will  ever  relinquish  their  grip,  those 
who  have  the  privilege  of  gardening  in  a  moist  climate 
will  develop  the  finest  fervour  of  enthusiasm.  The 
Pentstemon  will  grow,  and  produce  beautiful  bloom- 
spikes,  in  dry  climates,  if  given  good  soil ;  but  it  will 
not  throw  up  that  succession  of  basal  shoots  which  so 
greatly  facilitates  the  work  of  the  gardener,  not  only 
by  filling  out  his  borders  and  beds,  but  by  giving  abund- 
ance of  shoots  for  cuttings.  It  has  come  to  be  considered 
that  the  Pentstemon  is  best  treated  as  a  biennial,  being 
propagated  one  year,  flowered  the  next,  and  then  dis- 
carded, but  there  is  no  occasion  to  throw  away  strong 
plants  of  vigorous  sorts,  because  they  will  probably 
become  perennial.  It  not  infrequently  happens  that 
an  old  plant  which  has  stood  two  or  three  years  does 
the  best,  and  this  is  most  likely  to  be  the  case  in  dry 
summers,  when  it  may  be  twice  the  size  of  the  young 


70  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

plants.  The  sorts  differ  a  good  deal  in  vigour,  and 
named  sorts  which  it  is  desired  to  perpetuate  by  cuttings 
often  cause  embarrassment  by  refusing  to  make  growth 
from  the  base  and  restricting  themselves  to  their  flowering 
stems.  A  notable  exception  is  that  splendid  variety 
Countess  of  Hopetoun,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all 
Pentstemons,  and  also  one  of  the  most  luxuriant ;  it 
makes  lovely  masses,  with  its  abundance  of  foliage  and 
multitude  of  pale  pink  flowers  ;  there  are  always  plenty 
of  shoots  for  cuttings  on  it.  In  a  dry  year  one  who 
wants  to  propagate  Pentstemons  by  cuttings  should  get 
shoots  at  the  first  opportunity,  because  if  he  waits 
until  autumn  there  may  be  no  suitable  growth.  Many 
gardeners  are  satisfied  with  a  mixed  bed  or  clump,  and 
the  material  for  this  can  be  raised  from  seed  easily  and 
inexpensively.  The  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  box  of 
gritty  soil  in  a  cold  frame  in  autumn,  and  the  seedlings 
pricked  out  in  spring.  They  will  be  ready  for  planting 
out  in  May.  Or  the  seed  may  be  sown  in  heat  in  January, 
and  the  seedlings  hardened  in  a  cool  greenhouse  or  frame 
before  being  planted  out.  Lovers  of  Pentstemons  should 
not  overlook  Newbury  Gem,  for  with  no  pretensions 
to  comparison  with  the  giant  varieties  it  remains  a 
valuable  plant,  whether  for  bed,  border  or  rockery. 
It  grows  a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  high,  and,  coming 
into  bloom  early  in  summer,  remains  in  flower  many 
weeks.  The  flowers  are. bright  scarlet.  Southgate  Gem 
is  considered  by  some  to  be  an  improvement  on  it. 
Either  will  please. 

PHLOX. — Even  when  we  leave  out  of  account  the 
beautiful  dwarf  species  suitable  for  the  adornment 
of  the  rockery,  and  consider  only  the  tall  herbaceous 
varieties,  the  Phlox  stands  out  as  one  of  our  most  im- 


BORDER   PLANTS  71 

port  ant  plants.  It  luxuriates  in  deep,  moist,  but  well- 
drained  soils,  yet  when  given  adequate  moisture  it  thrives 
on  light  land.  Prolonged  drought  tries  it  severely, 
causing  the  leaves  to  droop  as  though  the  plants  were 
disease-stricken ;  a  few  cans  of  water  soon  revive  them. 
While  I  am  ready  to  acknowledge  that  the  finest  plants 
are  produced  in  deep,  rich,  somewhat  heavy  soil,  I 
believe  that  they  are  prone  to  disease.  On  light,  rather 
poor  ground  I  have  never  had  diseased  plants.  I  advise 
growers  to  attach  very  little  importance  to  manure, 
but  a  great  deal  to  plain  water ;  I  believe  that  they  will 
then  have  healthy  plants  quite  sufficiently  large,  and 
likewise  abundance  of  bloom.  I  have  been  surprised 
at  the  enormous  rootstocks  made  by  individual  Phloxes 
in  hungry  chalk  soil,  and  can  only  attribute  it  to  liberal 
watering.  These  stools  have  been  quite  large  enough 
to  bear  splitting  up  in  consecutive  years,  and  still  make 
fine  clumps.  Their  varied  and  brilliant  colours,  combined 
with  their  long  period  of  flowering,  make  the  tall  her- 
baceous Phloxes  even  more  valuable  as  border  plants 
than  their  great  compeers  the  Delphiniums  and  Paeonies. 
They  form  magnificent  groups,  and  are  well  worth 
bedding  where  there  is  abundance  of  bloom.  What 
may  be  termed  the  standard  varieties — Coquelicot, 
Eclaireur,  Etna,  Attraction,  Eugene  Danzanvilliers, 
Flambeau,  L'Aiglon,  Le  Mahdi,  Mrs.  Jenkins,  Sheriff 
Ivory,  Sylphide  and  Tapis  Blanc — are  still  quite  good 
enough  for  any  garden ;  but  the  connoisseur  will  find 
splendid  quality  in  some  of  the  new  Contenental  Phloxes, 
such  as  Baron  von  Dedem,  which  many  good  judges 
consider  to  be  superior  to  that  splendid  orange-red 
Coquelicot ;  Flora  Hornung,  white  with  carmine  eye  ; 
G.  H.  Strohlein,  orange  with  crimson  eye ;  General 
Von  Heutsz,  salmon ;  Gruppenkonigin,  flesh  with  carmine 


72  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

eye ;  and  F.  von  Lassberg,  a  glorious  white.  To  these 
might  be  added  Elizabeth  Campbell,  salmon ;  claimed 
to  be  superior  to  the  famous  salmon-pink  Mrs.  Oliver, 
but  both  are  beautiful  varieties,  and  unsurpassed  in 
their  colour ;  Mrs.  John  Harkness,  salmon  with  crimson 
eye  ;  Antonin  Mercie,  lavender  ;  and  Dove,  white  suffused 
with  pink,  thus  making  one  of  the  finest  collections  of 
this  magnificent  plant  which  it  would  be  possible  to  get 
together. 

PHYSALIS  BUNYARDI  is  a  new  and  fine  form  of 
Winter  Cherry.  Franchetti  had  already  taken  the  place 
of  the  old  type. 

PYRETHRUM. — Although  not  of  primary  importance, 
the  single  and  double  Feverfews  are  so  useful  in  the  border, 
owing  to  their  early  bloom,  bright  colours  and  abundant 
flowering,  that  they  must  be  given  attention.  One 
finds  them  amenable  to  most  soils,  and  most  readily 
propagated  by  division ;  indeed,  there  is  no  hardy 
herbaceous  plant  more  easily  grown.  There  is  not  an 
active  demand  for  novelties,  and  with  such  good  doubles 
as  Captain  Nares,  dark  crimson ;  Carl  Vogt,  white ; 
Pericles,  yellow  ;  Carneum  Plenum,  flesh  ;  and  La  Vestale, 
blush  ;  and  such  useful  singles  as  Carmen  Sylva,  blush  ; 
Coccinea,  purplish  red ;  Hamlet,  rose  ;  James  Kelway, 
scarlet ;  Jubilee,  crimson ;  and  Vivid,  aramanth,  the 
field  is  adequately  filled.  However,  a  little  special 
interest  attaches  to  the  double  pink  Queen  Mary  and 
the  singles  Ornement,  magenta ;  Mr.  Wm.  Kelway, 
pink  ;  Golconde,  crimson  ;  and  John  Malcolm,  pink. 

ROMNEYA  COULTERI  is  a  magnificent  plant  in  deep 
rich  soil  and  a  sheltered  position.  It  attains  the  dimen- 
sions of  a  large  shrub,  and  bears  great  white  Poppy-like 
flowers  with  golden  stamens. 


BORDER  PLANTS  73 

ROSE. — See  special  chapter. 

SENECIO. — There  is  a  fine  addition  to  the  Groundsels 
in  Clivorum,  a  Chinese  plant  with  large  masses  of  foliage 
and  loose  heads  of  yellow  flowers.  It  likes  a  moist 
situation.  Doronicum  and  pulcher  are  two  of  the  best 
of  the  older  species. 

STOKESIA  CYANEA. — There  are  two  good  novelties 
in  praecox  and  its  white  variety  alba.  The  former  has 
large  lavender  flowers  in  July. 

SWEET  PEA. — See  special  chapter. 

TIARELLA. — There  is  a  dark  variety  of  the  useful 
white  Foam  Flower  named  purpurea.  Unifoliata  is  a 
new  species,  larger  than  cordifolia,  white  with  reddish 
stamens. 

TULIP. — See  special  chapter. 

WALLFLOWER.— The  splendid  strains  of  Wall- 
flower which  we  now  have  tempt  us  to  press  plants  into 
use  for  spring  service  in  the  borders.  The  fact  that 
Wallflowers  are  generally  used  for  beds  or  lines  need 
not  debar  us  from  setting  small  groups  of  them  in  selected 
places  among  herbaceous  plants.  They  need  not  go  in 
until  October,  and  they  can  come  out  again  in  June, 
to  be  succeeded  by  Snapdragons,  Pentstemons,  or 
annuals.  New  colours  are  coming,  and  with  all  our 
regard  for  the  old  red  and  the  yellow,  which  are  splendid 
plants,  we  shall  assuredly  find  room  for  the  fresh  tints. 
Fire  King  is  a  particularly  good  shade,  and  is  sure  of 
wide  popularity  when  it  becomes  abundant ;  it  is  a 
brilliant  bronzy  orange.  Orange  King  is  another  pleasing 
orange  shade,  shading  off  to  apricot  and  bronzy  yellow. 
Ellen  Willmott  is  ruby-coloured.  Of  the  clear  yellows 
none  is  better  than  Golden  Monarch,  which  is  somewhat 


74  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

taller  than  Belvoir  Castle  ;  the  latter  is  a  good  yellow. 
The  general  method  of  culture  is  to  sow  in  early  summer 
in  a  spare  plot,  thin,  and  transplant ;  and  the  only  real 
drawback  is  that  in  a  wet  summer,  and  in  a  soil  they 
like,  the  plants  may  get  so  bulky  as  to  give  a  good  deal 
of  heavy  work  in  planting.  It  answers  well  to  sow  them 
where  they  are  to  stand,  thinning  the  seedlings  if  they 
come  too  thickly. 

The  omnivorous  flower-lover  whose  appetite  cannot 
be  satiated  from  the  foregoing  dishes  will  find  plenty 
of  good  plants  left.  He  will  consider  the  Achilleas, 
of  which  Ptarmica  The  Pearl  is  a  fine  white  variety  ; 
the  Alstromerias,  which  form  thick  clumps  and  bloom 
profusely  year  after  year  if  left  undisturbed  ;  the  Antheri- 
cums,  beautiful  Lily-like  plants  with  white  flowers ; 
Bocconia  cordata,  the  tall  Plume  Poppy,  with  its 
spikes  of  creamy  inflorescence ;  the  Canterbury  Bells, 
raised  annually  from  seed  in  early  summer ;  the  Cen- 
taureas,  notably  macrocephala,  yellow,  montana,  blue, 
and  montana  alba,  white ;  the  Cimicifugas  or  Bugworts, 
of  which  racemosa  is  a  beautiful  species  with  feathery 
white  flowers  ;  Coreopsis  grandiflora,  a  fine  late-blooming 
plant  with  yellow  flowers  ;  the  Burning  Bush,  Dictamnus 
Fraxinella ;  the  Foxgloves  (Digitalis) ,  which  come  from 
seed  as  readily  as  Sweet  Williams ;  the  Eryngiums  or 
Sea  Hollies,  with  their  metallic  flowers,  of  which  amethyst- 
inum  and  planum  are  good  ;  the  Funkias  or  Plantain 
Lilies,  handsome  in  foliage  as  well  as  in  bloom;  ovata 
albo-marginata  and  undulata  aurea  are  particularly 
noteworthy  for  beautiful  foliage ;  the  Galegas  or  Goafs- 
rues,  of  which  both  the  lilac  and  the  white  are  good, 
with  Hartlandi  as  particularly  interesting  owing  to  its 
variegated  foliage  in  early  summer  ;  the  hardy  Geraniums, 


Photograph  :  Kelway  &•  Son,  Langport 
ROMNEYA    COULTERI 


BORDER    PLANTS  75 

like  argenteum,  cinereum,  Endressi,  sanguineum  and 
Lancastriense,  which  thrive  on  most  soils  and  bloom 
profusely  ;  the  great  Pampas  Grass,  Gynerium  argenteum, 
a  noble  plant  for  a  special  position ;  the  Heleniums,  a 
genus  of  late  and  showy  Composites,  allied  to  the  Sun- 
flowers, of  which  autumnale  superbum,  yellow,  Bigelovii, 
yellow  with  brown  centre,  grandicephalum  striatum, 
orange-red,  and  pumilum  magnificum,  yellow,  are  some 
of  the  best ;  the  Helianthus  or  Sunflowers,  with  Miss 
Hellish,  single  yellow,  multiflorus  Bouquet  d'or,  double 
yellow  and  m.  maximus,  single,  as  the  best ;  the  Ever- 
lasting Pea  (Lathyrus)  for  rambling  over  stumps ;  White 
Pearl  is  a  beautiful  variety  of  which  seed  is  procurable  ; 
the  Linums  (Flax),  with  flavum,  yellow,  narbonense, 
blue,  and  perenne,  blue,  as  the  representatives ;  the 
Lupins,  of  which  arboreus  Snow  Queen,  white,  poly- 
phyllus,  blue,  p.  Blush  Beauty,  light  rose,  and  p.  Moer- 
heimii,  rose  and  white,  are  good ;  the  Lychnises,  with 
chalcedonica,  vermilion,  c.  alba  plena,  double  white, 
and  Viscaria  splendens  plena,  rose,  as  the  most  interesting; 
the  white  Loosestrife,  Lysimachia  clethroides ;  the  tall 
red  Lythrurn  roseum  superbum  ;  the  Bergamot,  Monarda 
didyma,  bright  and  fragrant ;  the  evening  Primroses 
(CEnothera),  of  which  fruticosa,  yellow,  f.  Youngii,  deep 
yellow,  M.  Cuthbertson,  deep  yellow,  and  speciosa, 
white,  scented,  are  a  few  of  the  best ;  Platycodon  grandi- 
flora,  blue  ;  also  the  dwarf  blue  species  Mariesii ;  Plum- 
bago Larpentae,  a  handsome,  blue,  late-blooming  perennial; 
the  Polygonums,  or  Knotweeds,of  which  afnne  (Brunonis), 
rose,  amplexicaule,  crimson,  and  Baldschuanicum,  the 
last  a  beautiful  white  rambler,  are  the  best ;  the  Poten- 
tillas,  or  Cinquefoils,  of  which  Miss  Willmott  may  be 
named  as  a  beautiful  hybrid  resembling  nepalensis ; 
the  Rudbeckias,  gay  composites,  of  which  Golden  Glow, 


76  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

double  yellow,  and  speciosa  (Newmani),  orange,  are 
good ;  the  Scabiouses,  with  caucasica,  blue,  as  the 
principal  attraction  ;  the  Golden  Rods  (Solidago)  with 
tall  plumes  of  soft  yellow  flowers  ;  the  Sea  Lavenders 
(Statice),  of  which  paniculata,  lavender,  is  the  best; 
the  Meadow  rues  (Thalictrum)  with  graceful  foliage ; 
the  Wood  Lily  (Trillium  grandiflorum) ,  a  lovely  dwarf 
white-flowered  plant  for  naturalizing  in  cool,  moist, 
shady  places  ;  the  Globe  Flowers  (Trollius),  with  foliage 
resembling  that  of  Delphiniums,  dwarf,  dense  growers 
and  free  May-bloomers  ;  Caucasicus  Orange  Globe  is  a 
fine  orange  and  europaeus  a  pale  yellow ;  the  Mulleins 
(Verbascum),  of  which  olympicum,  yellow,  and 
phoeniceum,  various  forms,  are  very  fine ;  and  the 
Speedwells  (Veronicas),  of  which  gentianoides,  blue, 
incana,  violet,  longifolia  subsessilis,  one  of  the  best  of 
all  blue  perennials,  repens,  a  splendid  plant  for  the 
rockery,  and  spicata,  blue,  are  the  most  important. 

It  would  be  outside  the  scope  of  the  present  work  to  go 
into  details  of  the  culture  of  all  the  foregoing  plants. 
Nearly  all  thrive  in  any  well-cultivated  soil,  and  are 
propagated  by  division  in  spring. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  NEW   ROCK   GARDENING 

A  COMMON  feature  of  popular  exhibitions  is  the  scenic 
railway.  It  is  a  weird  erection  of  girders,  canvas  peaks 
and  painted  gorges.  Toy  trains  laden  with  perspiring 
and  shrieking  adventurers — at  sixpence  per  head — 
dart  out  of  its  tunnels  and  disappear  along  its  cuttings. 

There  is  a  phase  of  flower-growing  which  might  be 
called  "  scenic-railway "  gardening.  It  consists  in 
erecting  miniature  Alps  within  a  few  yards  of  the  front 
door,  and  then  buzzing  up  and  down  them  with  a  small 
box  of  rock  plants  tucked  under  the  left  arm,  and  a  trowel 
clutched  firmly  in  the  right  hand.  This  is  generally 
spoken  of  as  "  following  Nature,"  and  is  considered  to 
be  a  triumphant  vindication  of  good  taste  in  gardening 
and  a  standing  rebuke  to  those  who  practise  the  old  style 
of  bedding-out. 

There  is  much  clatter  and  fuss  about  scenic-railway 
gardening.  Its  votaries  are  as  fond  of  getting  together 
and  advertising  their  proceedings  as  a  colony  of  rooks. 
One  might  say  that  it  is  distinguished  by  much  stone, 
much  caw,  and  a  modicum  of  flowers. 

It  is  conventional  to  "  talk  flowers "  nowadays. 
Agents  for  continental  tours  conduct  thousands  of 
people  round  the  Alpine  regions,  and  at  the  dinner 
tables  of  some  of  the  hotels  there  is  as  much  conversation 
about  flowers  as  there  is  at  others  about  bobsleighing. 

77 


78  THE    NEW    GARDENING 

Odds  and  ends  of  travel  talk,  and  a  six-days'  "  personally 
conducted  "  tour,  transform  many  a  hitherto  harmless 
person  into  a  fierce  and  uncompromising  Alpine  gardener, 
whose  property  forthwith  breaks  into  an  eruption  of 
mounds  and  rocks,  which  can  never  by  any  possibility 
form  a  suitable  home  for  plants. 

The  first  essential  to  successful  Alpine  gardening  is 
to  study  Alpine  flowers,  not  to  build  huge  rockeries. 
If  it  be  urged  that  rock  plants  cannot  be  studied  without 
rocks,  the  reply  is  that  lessons  can  be  learned  as  thoroughly, 
and  at  a  quarter  the  cost,  by  bedding  small  stones  in 
a  natural  bank,  laying  rough  steps  by  water,  setting 
a  few  small  pieces  in  a  gully  or  dell,  taking  advantage 
of  falling  ground  near  a  stream,  and  making  plain  rock- 
beds,  as  by  spending  large  sums  on  a  made  rockery  with 
great  artificial  mounds,  deep  excavated  water-courses 
and  monstrous  imported  stones. 

A  few  of  the  peculiarities  of  Alpine  plants  might  be 
stated  briefly  as  follows  : 

(1)  They  like,  or  they  do  not  like,  sun. 

(2)  They  like,  or  they  do  not  like,  shade. 

(3)  They  like  loamy  soil. 

(4)  They  like  peaty  soil. 

(5)  They  dislike  overhead  moisture. 

(6)  They  will,  or  they  will  not,  thrive  in  dry  places. 

(7)  They  like,  or  they  do  not  like,  boggy  ground. 

It  is  not  by  beginning  an  apprenticeship  in  Alpine 
gardening  with  the  construction  of  a  large  rockery  that 
these  and  other  traits  of  Alpines  can  be  learned. 

The  new  rock  gardening  places  plantsmanship  first. 
It  dictates  that  the  root  of  the  matter  shall  not  be  am- 
bitious schemes  for  reproducing  in  miniature  the  land- 


THE   NEW   ROCK    GARDENING         79 

scape  of  the  Alps,  but  providing  the  conditions  best 
suited  to  the  welfare  of  beautiful  and  cherished  plants. 
Scenic-railway  gardening  is  heated,  breathless,  and 
grandiloquent.  It  has  much  of  the  vagueness  and 
garrulity  of  humanitomtity.  It  does  not  make  for  noble 
and  sincere  flower-pictures. 

I  believe  that  in  most  gardens  natural  conditions 
can  be  found  which  provide  for  good  Alpine  gardening 
at  a  moderate  cost.  This  is  particularly  the  case  where 
part  of  the  ground  shelves  to  water.  Some  of  the  most 
beautiful  effects  in  nature  are  those  in  which  colonies 
of  plants  have  established  themselves  in  boulder-strewn 
ground  by  the  side  of  streams.  There  is  no  necessity 
to  do  more  than  accentuate  in  a  moderate  degree  such 
unevenness  of  outline  as  prevails,  and  use  flattish  stones 
sparingly.  It  is,  indeed,  rather  the  paths  than  the  bulk 
of  the  ground  which  should  be  treated  with  stones. 
One  who  adopts  the  simple,  but  generally  overlooked, 
device  of  first  marking  out  the  outlines  of  an  Alpine 
garden  by  laying  flat,  separated  stones  to  form  paths, 
will  be  astonished  at  the  limited  amount  of  material 
which  is  required  for  the  garden  itself.  Large  blocks 
should  never  be  used  except  under  the  personal  direc- 
tion of  an  expert,  for  error  is  easy  and  rectification 
laborious. 

A  lover  of  Alpine  flowers  who  has  sharply-sloping 
ground  to  deal  with  will  find  a  sound,  practical  helper 
in  an  intelligent  builder's  man,  who,  without  any  attempt 
at  soulful  conversation  (but  with  silent  gratitude  for 
beer)  and  for  a  remuneration  of  eightpence  or  tenpence 
an  hour,  will  cut  the  ground  into  a  series  of  terraces, 
wide  or  narrow  according  to  instructions,  that  will  form 
ledges  for  stones  and  plants  ;  or  will  put  up  a  loose  wall 
of  stones. 


8o  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

It  is  the  dead-level  area  that  may  afford  the  most 
food  for  consideration.  Plant-growing  on  level  ground 
cannot,  strictly  speaking,  be  Alpine  gardening  at  all ; 
but  by  a  judicious  use  of  stones  many  beautiful  plants 
which  are  natives  of  Alpine  regions  may  be  grown 
successfully  on  level  ground.  Contrary  to  general  belief, 
large,  thick  stones,  like  the  great  rectangular  blocks 
with  which  engineers  build  breakwaters,  are  not  the 
best  for  flat  ground.  The  stones  should  likewise  be  flat. 
It  is  true  that  it  is  an  advantage  if  they  vary  a  little  in 
thickness,  because  it  is  then  possible  to  have  some 
pockets  deeper  than  others,  and  to  get  longer  shadows, 
apart  from  the  better  effect  of  a  slight  unevenness  of 
outline.  But  on  the  whole  comparatively  thin  stones 
are  the  most  appropriate  for  level  ground.  Sandstone 
in  pieces  about  two  feet  long,  one  and  a  half  feet  wide  and 
six  inches  thick,  is  very  suitable.  The  stones  will  have 
a  general  uniformity  of  shape,  approximating  to  an  oval, 
but  some  of  the  pieces  may  be  concave  at  one  side, 
and  two  such  pieces  with  the  concavities  facing  each 
other  will  make  nice  pockets.  In  the  first  practice  of 
making  rock-beds  it  is  wise  to  get  the  assistance  of  a 
man  who  has  had  experience.  A  few  hours  of  co-operation 
with  him  will  teach  valuable  lessons  to  a  quick-witted 
and  observant  person. 

With  a  view  to  forming  shady  pockets  some  of  the 
stones  should  be  set  end-wise,  and  tilted  at  an  obtuse 
angle,  with  the  apex  towards  the  north-west.  This 
ensures  that  the  hollow  under  the  elevated  tip  will  be 
screened  from  the  sun  until  near  the  setting,  and  will 
consequently  form  a  suitable  nook  for  a  plant  which, 
like  the  lovely  little  Primula  rosea,  loves  shade  and 
moisture.  Small  rectangular  spaces  may  also  be  made 
for  plants  which,  like  the  beautiful  but  wilful  Eritrichium 


A  CHARMING  EXAMPLE  OF  ROCK  GARDENING 


THE    NEW    ROCK    GARDENING         81 

nanum,  like  sunshine,  but  must  be  covered  with  glass 
in  winter  to  throw  off  rain. 

What  reason  is  there  why  such  rocky  beds  and  borders 
should  not  be  made  in  thousands  of  gardens  ?  The  culture 
of  Alpines  has  become  identified  in  the  public  mind  with 
elevated  sites,  however  artificial  or  incongruous,  and 
with  large  stones,  at  once  expensive  and  awkward, 
with  the  result  that  rock  plants  are  either  cultivated 
under  unnatural,  costly  and  laborious  conditions,  or  else 
eschewed  entirely.  Under  the  influence  of  an  unfortunate 
delusion  people  throw  up  mounds  which  are  obviously 
artificial,  and  which,  whatever  the  stones  and  plants 
that  may  be  put  on  them,  never  have  a  natural  appear- 
ance. When,  however,  as  is  often  the  case,  the  "  stones  " 
are  merely  calcined  burrs,  and  the  plants  a  mixture  of 
hardy  and  tender,  dwarf  and  tall,  we  get  a  hideous 
monstrosity.  We  survey  the  former  with  melancholy, 
the  latter  with  irritation. 

There  is  nothing  more  in  keeping  with  a  rectangular 
house  than  rock  beds  or  borders  in  which  flattish  stones 
prevail.  They  harmonize  with  the  angles  of  the  building. 
If  it  be  a  stone  house,  or  a  brick  house  rough-casted, 
the  harmony  will  be  the  more  complete.  Many  a  small 
country  house,  many  a  villa,  many  a  suburban  dwelling, 
which  is  now  choked  up  with  coarse  Laurels  or  Aucubas 
planted  near ;  or  which  is  hemmed  in  by  herbaceous 
borders  that  are  entirely  bare  for  several  months  in  the 
year  and  obstruct  the  view  for  the  remainder — many 
such  homes  could  be  made  brighter  and  more  interesting 
if  rock  borders  were  put  beside  them.  The  front  of  a 
lawn,  facing  the  main  door  or  windows,  is  an  excellent 
place  for  a  rock  border.  The  stones,  rising  but  a  foot 
or  two  above  the  level  of  the  grass,  will  permit  what- 
ever beautiful  background  there  may  be  to  be  seen,  and 
F 


82  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  flowers  will  prove  an  attraction  before  the  principal 
herbaceous  plants  have  grown  more  than  a  few  inches 
above  the  soil. 

Before  ever  a  stone  is  bought,  or  a  plant  ordered, 
let  the  Alpine-lover  take  careful  note  of  the  configuration 
of  his  ground  (with  a  practical  adviser  at  his  elbow 
if  entirely  without  experience),  and  see  what  amenities 
it  provides.  Let  the  leading  influence  be,  not  how  many 
large  blocks  of  stone  can  be  stuffed  in,  but  how  few  will 
be  adequate.  Let  the  governing  thought  be  adaptation, 
not  revolution. 

Great  joy  and  pleasure  can  be  found  in  the  cultivation 
of  Alpine  flowers  in  small  places,  where  any  attempt  to 
ape  the  scenery  of  the  Alps  would  be  ridiculous.  When 
delusion  has  died  I  look  to  see  these  exquisite  flowers 
adorning  thousands  of  the  very  smallest  gardens.  They 
will  thrive  wherever  there  is  sunshine,  pure  air  and  suit- 
able soil.  They  give  us  bloom  before  the  winter  snows 
have  gone,  and  others  of  their  kind  are  in  beauty  in  the 
heat  of  summer. 

The  problem  of  compost  is  not  so  vital  for  the  majority 
of  Alpines  as  is  commonly  supposed.  Given  a  soil  which, 
with  tillage  and  manuring,  will  grow  good  Roses,  Dahlias, 
Peas  and  Scarlet  Runners,  the  great  majority  of  rock 
plants  will  thrive  ;  but  in  most  cases  lightening  with  a 
liberal  admixture  of  peat  or  soft,  flaky  leaf-mould  from 
the  woods  is  beneficial.  Two  feet  of  loam,  well  broken 
up  with  this  material,  will  prove  much  to  the  liking  of 
Alpines  generally.  There  must  not  be  a  preponderance 
of  peat,  except  in  moist  places,  otherwise  the  soil  will 
tend  to  become  dry,  loose,  and  fluffy  in  spells  of  hot, 
sunny  weather,  and  in  such  a  condition  many  good  plants, 
such  as  the  mossy  Saxifrages,  will  tend  to  die  out  in 
spite  of  watering.  Always,  however,  there  should  be  at 


THE    NEW   ROCK   GARDENING         83 

hand  a  supply  of  material  for  special  pockets — peat, 
mixed  grit,  granite  chippings — wherewith  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  those  fastidious  plants  of  which  note  is 
taken  in  the  following  chapter. 

The  grower  of  Alpine  plants  in  rock  beds  may  spring 
almost  at  a  bound  into  active  enjoyment  of  the  delightful 
phase  of  flower-gardening  which  he  or  she  has  taken  up. 
It  is  the  rule  of  nurserymen  to  grow  most  of  their  stock 
in  small  pots,  in  order  to  be  able  to  execute  orders  what- 
ever the  weather  may  be.  The  stock  is  often  kept  in 
unheated  frames,  from  which  the  sashes  are  removed  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  year,  in  order  that  the  plants  may 
not  be  made  tender  by  protection.  The  early  bloomers 
open  their  flowers  in  these  pots  before  the  winter  has 
passed  away.  With  the  plants  ordered  hot  upon  the 
completion  of  the  soil  preparation  and  the  arrival  of  the 
rock,  a  considerable  area  of  ground  may  be  furnished 
with  stones  and  planted  in  the  course  of  a  nine-hours' 
day  in  early  spring.  And  in  their  comfortable  pockets, 
which  at  dawn  did  not  exist,  a  score  of  plants  may  be 
flowering  cheerfully  before  nightfall.  Thereafter  fresh 
flowers  will  open  week  by  week,  and  for  long  months 
there  will  be  a  lovely  display  of  charming  blossoms. 
Thus  with  a  spring  start  the  joy  of  Alpine  gardening 
will  be  upon  the  flower-lover  before  the  buds  on  the  trees 
have  broken  into  leaf. 

The  hardiness  of  the  plants  is  so  complete  that  they 
will  endure  rigours  to  which  many  nominally  hardy 
plants  would  succumb.  A  consignment  of  Alpines  was 
received  by  a  flower-lover  towards  the  end  of  an  April 
day  in  the  large,  shallow  boxes  which  nurserymen  often 
use  for  transplanting  such  small  things.  A  good  many 
were  in  pots,  but  others  were  in  ground  clumps.  Looking 
(hy,  they  were  watered  and  set  in  a  summer-house. 


84  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

A  spell  of  terrible  weather  came,  with  severe  frost, 
which  turned  the  moisture  among  the  roots  of  the  plants 
into  ice.  Heavy  snow  for  many  days  prevented  planting, 
and  although  a  covering  was  thrown  over  the  plants  they 
remained  frost-bound  for  over  a  week.  Not  one  of  them 
showed  signs  of  injury  from  this  ordeal,  which  was 
different  from,  and  more  severe  than,  any  which  they 
were  likely  to  have  had  to  undergo  when  growing  in  the 
soil.  Here  ice  caught  them,  root  and  crown,  while  they 
were  out  of  the  ground,  and  presumably  in  the  most 
vulnerable  state. 

Liberal-minded  nurserymen  send  large  clumps  of  the 
plants  which  they  lift  from  the  ground,  and  with  gratitude 
in  his  heart  for  such  generous  treatment  the  plantsman 
may  divide  them  at  the  very  outset.  Given  more  pockets 
than  plants  one  obvious  step  is  to  plant  two  pockets 
with  one  kind.  But  another  point  is  that,  with  a  large 
clump  and  a  large  pocket  it  were  better  to  divide  the 
clump  and  set  the  portions  at  different  parts  of  the 
pocket  than  to  put  it  undivided  in  the  middle.  "  Pocket  " 
is  used  as  the  popular  word  in  connection  with  rock 
gardening,  but  it  would  be  misleading  if  it  suggested 
that  all  spaces  between  stones  should  be  limited  to  the 
size  even  of  the  capacious  pocket  of  a  poacher.  In  these 
broad  areas  which  the  flower-lover  with  large  grounds 
might  carpet  with  flattish  stones  there  will  be  consider- 
able spaces  for  plants,  and  here  the  planting  of  small 
pieces  wide  apart  will  suggest  itself  as  more  appropriate 
than  merely  putting  in  one  large  clump. 

A  small  side  issue  of  rock  gardening,  yet  one  that 
often  causes  some  little  trouble,  is  the  choice  and  use 
of  labels.  The  best  of  labels  are  objectionable  in  a  rock 
garden,  and  the  worst  are  an  insufferable  eyesore.  Yet 
it  is  desirable  that  the  flower-lover  should  learn  to  know 


«i 


THE    NEW   ROCK   GARDENING         85 

his  plants  well,  not  only  when  they  are  in  bloom,  but 
when  there  is  only  their  foliage  by  which  to  recognize 
them.  Even  in  the  case  of  the  species,  he  can  only  ac- 
quire this  familiarity  by  seeing  them  frequently  and  at 
different  stages  of  their  growth,  with  the  labels  beside 
them  ;  while  when  it  comes  to  the  varieties,  the  habit 
and  leafage  are  often  so  much  alike  that  it  is  impossible 
for  the  keenest  plantsman  to  name  them  except  when 
they  are  in  bloom.  There  are  not  wanting  flower-lovers, 
possessed  of  a  wide  knowledge  of  Alpine  plants,  who 
suffer  from  the  distressing  weakness  of  momentarily 
confusing  and  forgetting  names,  and  who  may  find  them- 
selves standing  in  pained  confusion  when  asked  by  a 
visitor  for  the  name  of  a  plant  which  is  as  familiar  to  the 
grower  as  his  own  children. 

These  things  make  it  impossible  to  do  without  labels 
entirely.  The  best  that  can  be  done  is  to  keep  the  number 
used  as  low  as  possible,  and  to  take  care  that  they  are 
not  unduly  conspicuous.  For  example,  if  there  are 
two  or  more  pockets  of  a  particular  plant  one  only  need 
have  a  label.  Zinc  labels,  written  with  a  special  acid 
ink,  are  favoured  by  many  plantsmen.  It  is  desirable 
to  get  them  with  a  fairly  long  shank,  certainly  not  less 
than  three  inches  and  preferably  five,  because  with  a 
short  stem  they  are  never  secure,  and  will  spend  most  of 
their  time  prostrate  on  the  ground.  A  pointed  match 
makes  a  very  good  pen.  It  is  desirable  that  the  ink 
should  be  put  on  thinly,  and  that  it  should  be  varnished 
over  when  dry.  Early  efforts  with  zinc  labels  a're  apt 
to  leave  either  a  blur  or  a  shadow,  in  both  cases  illegible. 
Personally  I  prefer  a  small  wooden  label,  say  a  5-inch, 
touched  with  white  paint,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  the 
quicker  writing,  but  for  the  greater  firmness  in  the 
soil  and  the  easier  reading.  There  need  not  be  more 


86  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

than  two  inches  exposed,  because — except  in  the  interest 
of  unaccompanied  visitors — it  is  not  necessary  to  write 
the  names  in  full.  "  Sax.  dec."  conveys  as  much  to  a 
flower-lover  who  knows  that  he  has  a  Saxifraga  decipiens 
in  his  collection  as  "  Crys.  Ferr.  Perchlor."  does  to  a 
dispensing  chemist  surrounded  by  an  array  of  bottles  with 
abbreviated  labels.  Wooden  tallies  may  require  renewal 
once  a  year.  A  "  Wolff  "  garden  pencil  will  be  found 
excellent  in  writing  wooden  labels. 

In  watering  rock  plants  during  dry  spells  in  summer 
overhead  sprinkling  through  a  large  rose  is  preferable 
to  pocket  watering  through  a  spout,  because  not  only 
are  the  plants  equally  refreshed,  but  the  hot  surface  of 
the  stones  is  cooled,  and  an  atmosphere  of  cool  humidity  is 
created. 

The  glass-covering  in  winter  which  is  spoken  of  in 
connection  with  certain  Alpines  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  question  of  hardiness,  but  of  the  impatience  which, 
some  woolly-leaved  kinds  display  of  overhead  moisture 
in  the  winter.  They  enjoy  root  humidity,  but  suffer  from 
repeated  saturation  of  the  foliage.  A  square  of  glass 
set  above  them  throws  the  rain  off  the  leaves,  but  does 
not  prevent  its  reaching  the  roots.  The  squares  should 
be  put  on  in  October  and  removed  in  March,  when  there 
is  generally  plenty  of  sunshine  to  dry  the  leaves  after 
rain. 

Whatever  style  of  Alpine  gardens — whether  they  be 
"  new  "  or  "  old,"  made  with  much  stone  or  little — 
there  is  one  visitor  the  catholicity  of  whose  tastes  is 
such  that  he  is  never  bored,  saddened  or  irritated, 
and  that  is  the  slug.  He  will  tolerate  the  most  rampant 
rockdom  so  long  as  there  are  plants  about  it.  He  must 
be  looked  for  whenever  pleasant  hours  are  being  spent 
among  the  plants.  There  must  be  an  eye  for  the  flowers 


THE   NEW    ROCK   GARDENING         87 

and  an  eye  for  the  slugs.  He  must  be  looked  for  under 
the  masses  of  growth  which  some  plants  form  ;  and  under 
which  he  loves  to  lurk.  If  there  are  small,  choice  plants 
which  cannot  make  headway  under  his  attacks  it  may 
be  advisable  to  set  rings  of  zinc,  about  the  size  of  a 
man's  collar,  and  with  a  serrated  upper  edge,  around  them. 
These  collars  do  not  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  rockery, 
and  should  only  be  used  in  case  of  real  necessity ;  but 
keen  plantsmen  never  hesitate  when  the  good  of  their 
flowers  is  in  question.  A  general  infestation  of  a  garden 
with  slugs  should  be  met  with  repeated  night  dustings 
with  fresh,  dry  lime ;  or  with  liberal  applications  of  lime- 
water.  What  reduces  slugs  in  the  garden  generally 
should  tend  to  reduce  them  in  the  rockery,  and  hand- 
picking  there  is  rendered  less  laborious  if  the  pests  of 
the  outer  garden  are  decimated  by  quicker  means. 

The  true  flower-lover  who  has  a  fair  amount  of  leisure 
will  have  every  plant  under  constant  observation,  and 
will  see  that  its  requirements  are  met  as  need  arises. 
Those  who  can  only  give  the  lightest  of  touches  day  by 
day  should  try  to  spare  time  for  a  good  overhaul  two  or 
three  times  a  year.  If  the  soil  has  become  close  from 
excessive  moisture  it  can  be  pricked  up  and  some  gritty 
compost  or  limestone  or  sandstone  chippings  sprinkled 
on.  It  is  a  good  rule  to  keep  the  soil  up  to  the  level  of 
what  is  called  the  "  collar  "  of  the  plant,  that  is,  the 
point  of  branching  from  the  stem.  A  little  3-tined  hand- 
fork — a  mere  child's  tool  only  six  inches  long — is  very 
handy  for  stirring  the  soil  between  Alpines  ;  and  certainly 
a  weekly  forking  does  good  both  by  keeping  down  weeds 
and  promoting  growth.  There  are,  however,  many  kinds 
which  carpet  the  ground  too  closely  for  such  an  operation 
to  be  practised. 


CHAPTER  VI 

NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS 

THAT  wave  of  plant-development  which  has  followed 
the  great  tide  of  flower-love  over  the  civilized  world, 
and  particularly,  perhaps,  over  Great  Britain  and 
America,  has  carried  with  it  many  beautiful  rock  plants. 
The  earth  has  been  ransacked  for  new  kinds,  while 
hybridists  have  made  crosses  between  species  and 
propagators  have  raised  large  numbers  of  seedlings  in 
the  hope  of  finding  valuable  variations. 

The  most  remarkable  gains  have  been  made  in 
Primulas.  Here  it  is  not  a  case  of  one  method  of  de- 
velopment alone  being  at  work,  but  all  three  simul- 
taneously. The  great  collectors  Forrest  and  Wilson 
have  sent  us  magnificent  new  species,  principally  from 
China ;  and  these,  hybridized,  have  already  given  us 
the  first  fruits  of  what  may  prove  to  be  an  extensive 
series  of  lovely  forms. 

A  person  who  is  passing  through  a  novitiate  in  Alpine 
gardening  may  hardly  do  more  than  make  a  passing 
acquaintance  with  novelties,  partly  from  doubt  of 
sufficient  practical  knowledge  of  their  culture,  partly 
on  the  score  of  expense.  It  is  not  always  practicable 
to  tack  on  to  the  cost  of  a  new  garden  the  expense  of 
new  plants,  and  in  any  case  there  are  old  species  which 
are  too  important  to  be  passed  by.  But  it  unquestionably 
quickens  the  interest  of  an  established  rock  garden  to  add 

88 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  89 

novelties  to  it  from  time  to  time,  and  the  confirmed 
flower-lover  will  gladly  seize  an  opportunity  of  acquiring 
meritorious  new  plants. 

It  would  be  outside  the  scope  of  the  present  work  to 
give  a  complete  list  of  rock  plants,  but  attention  can  be 
drawn  to  the  most  meritorious  species  as  well  as  to  the 
best  of  the  newer  kinds.  The  following  notes  may  be 
considered  in  connection  with  those  on  border  plants. 
The  smaller  kinds  of  the  latter  are  often  used  on  the 
rockery. 

^ETHIONEMAS. — These  plants  are  perhaps  of  secondary 
importance  on  the  rockery,  but  they  have  the  merit  of 
giving  summer  bloom.  The  best  known  is  grandiflorum, 
with  pink  flowers,  in  small  globular  heads,  reminding 
one  of  Daphne  Cneorum,  in  late  spring  or  early  summer ; 
it  grows  about  six  inches  high  and  blooms  in  May. 
Coridifolium  is  also  a  familiar  plant.  The  ^Ethionemas 
are  not  troublesome  plants,  but  they  do  not  care  for  poor 
soil  and  hot  sites. 

AJUGA  (BUGLE). — The  best-known  species  is  reptans, 
a  pretty  carpeter  with  blue  flowers  in  spring.  Genevensis 
is  also  blue.  There  is  a  form  of  reptans  with  bronzy 
purple  leaves.  Purpurea  variegata,  another  form  of  rep- 
tans, has  variegated  green  and  white  leaves  and  blue 
flowers  in  a  spike  six  inches  high.  It  is  a  useful  plant, 
for  it  spreads  fast,  carpets  closely,  and  is  pretty  both  in 
and  out  of  bloom.  The  Ajugas  will  thrive  in  shade. 

ALYSSUM  (GOLD  DUST).— The  old  species  saxatile,  so 
bright  in  colour,  so  free-flowering,  so  easily  raised  from 
seed,  must  not  be  passed  by  because  of  the  newer  forms, 
as  the  colour  is  the  deepest  of  all ;  but  those  who  are 
interested  in  the  plant  may  like  to  grow  the  paler  forms, 
such  as  Silver  Queen  and  citrinum,  and  also  the  double  ; 


90  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  latter  is  a  good  plant.     A  point  in  favour  of  these 
Alyssums  is  that  they  will  thrive  in  poor  limestone  soil. 

ANDROSACE.— The  beautiful  rock  Jasmines  will  be 
grown  in  every  good  Alpine  garden.  The  species  differ 
considerably  in  habit.  Sarmentosa,  for  example,  is  of 
tufty  growth  and  produces  plantlets  on  red  runners  ; 
while  carnea  has  narrow  leaves  and  lanuginosa  is  a 
silvery-leafed  trailer.  Chumbyi  is  now  acknowledged 
to  be  a  variety  of  sarmentosa.  I  find  it  to  be  a  more 
vigorous  grower,  forming  large  clusters  of  the  charac- 
teristic tufts ;  in  both  cases  the  flowers  are  pink,  borne 
on  short  stems  in  spring.  It  will  be  well  to  protect  them 
from  rain  in  winter  with  a  covering  of  loose  glass.  Laggeri 
is  a  mossy  grower,  and  bears  pink  flowers  on  2-inch  stems. 
Primuloides  is  a  charming  but  rare  plant  with  rosy  flowers 
on  4-inch  stems  in  May.  Villosa  has  downy  leaves  and 
pale  pink  flowers  in  late  spring  ;  Chamaejasme  is  a  variety 
of  it.  Sempervivoides  is  a  purplish  species  from  Thibet, 
with  foliage  in  rosettes  and  flowers  in  umbels ;  like 
sarmentosa,  it  produces  runners.  Charpentieri  is  a  Swiss 
gen,  with  hairy  rosettes  of  foliage  and  carmine  flowers. 
The  Androsaces  like  a  good  deal  of  peat  and  sand  in  the 
compost,  and  may  be  top-dressed  with  gritty  soil  in 
spring. 

ANTENNARIA  TOMENTOSA  is  a  useful  carpeter,  with 
dense  silvery  foliage  clinging  close  to  the  soil.  It  is  a 
slow  grower,  but  it  will  thrive  in  a  hot,  dry  place. 

ARABIS. — The  old  species  of  Rock  Cress,  albida  and 
alpina,  are  among  the  commonest  of  rock  plants,  and  it 
is  often  a  case  rather  of  curbing  than  of  encouraging 
their  growth.  A  defect  of  the  plants  is  that  after  the 
first  flowering  in  spring,  when  they  are  comparatively 
compact,  they  make  a  good  deal  of  coarse  growth, 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     91 

on  top  of  which  they  go  out  of  flower,  leaving  them  some- 
what of  a  burden.  It  is  wise  to  substitute  the  double 
for  the  single,  as  it  is  less  rank  and  flowers  longer ;  this 
useful  plant  may  be  propagated  by  cuttings  in  boxes 
of  sandy  soil  in  early  summer  and  planted  out  in  autumn  ; 
there  is  now  a  variegated  leafed  form  of  it.  Albida 
variegata  is  a  variety  of  the  common  with  a  white- 
edged  leaf,  and  as  it  is  a  more  compact  grower  it  is  better 
for  the  rockery  ;  it  is  a  pretty  and  desirable  plant.  Sturii 
is  a  small,  white-flowered  species.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  and  beautiful  of  the  Rock  Cresses  is  aubrie- 
tioides,  which  is  of  dwarf  compact  habit,  and  bears  a 
profusion  of  beautiful  pink  flowers  ;  this  is  good  enough 
for  the  choicest  collection  of  Alpines.  Billardieri  re- 
sembles it  closely.  The  Rock  Cresses  thrive  in  ordinary 
soil,  and  are  easily  propagated  by  seeds,  cuttings  and 
division.  See  also  the  remarks  in  another  chapter  on 
the  use  of  Arabises  and  Aubrietias  with  bulbs  in  borders. 

ARENARIA  (SAND  WORT)  .—The  best-known  species 
is  Balearica,  a  creeper  with  small  white  flowers.  It  is 
a  pretty  plant,  but  montana,  while  it  is  also  a  good 
carpeter,  has  larger  flowers  ;  it  likes  a  sunny,  rather  dry 
soil.  Propagation  is  by  division. 

ARMERIA  (THRIFT). — The  well-known  edging  plant 
is  maritima.  Csespitosa  is  a  pretty  miniature  species 
with  pink  flowers,  suitable  for  the  rockery. 

ARNEBIA  (MACROTOMIA)  ECHIOIDES.— The  pretty 
"  Prophet  Flower,"  with  its  spotted  yellow  flowers, 
should  be  planted ;  it  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  summer 
bloomers. 

AUBRIETIAS. — In  its  mountain  home  the  Grecian 
Rock  Cress  is  secure  from  comparison  with  the  new 


92  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

varieties  of  the  garden,  and,  descending  the  distant 
rocks  like  a  purple  cascade,  makes  a  satisfactory  picture  ; 
but  on  the  nearer  slopes  of  the  Alpine  garden,  where 
each  blossom  can  be  distinguished,  it  seems  a  poor  thing 
beside  its  great,  brilliant  modern  rivals. 

In  the  early  days  of  rock  gardening  few  gave  a  thought 
to  any  material  except  the  natural  species  which  clothe 
the  acclivities  and  carpet  the  moraines  of  Alpine  regions. 
They  did  not  anticipate  a  time  when  the  hand  of  the 
hybridist  would  have  brought  the  species  into  union, 
or  made  selections  from  hosts  of  seedlings,  and  thus 
produced  new  forms,  in  some  cases  much  more  intrinsically 
beautiful  than  the  parents  which  had  seemed  so  charming. 
The  time  has  come  with  certain  plants  when  it  is  the 
modern  forms  alone  which  have  any  real  importance  with 
cultured  flower-lovers,  and  the  Aubrietia  is  a  case  in 
point.  This  plant  has  all  the  primitive  vigour,  tenacity 
of  life,  profusion  of  bloom  and  ready  seeding  which  make 
the  potential  weed.  The  natural  species  are  in  bloom  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  year  in  the  garden,  only  periods 
of  bitter  cold  and  burning  drought  curbing  the  flowering 
habit.  In  spring  a  fever  of  growth  and  blossoming 
seizes  them.  They  are  overtaken  by  a  wild  passion  for 
extension.  They  spread  over  earth  and  rocks  like  Poppies 
over  a  field  of  young  corn,  and  every  new-born  shoot 
breaks  into  bloom.  They  continue  spreading  long  after 
their  cousins  the  Arabises  have  finished.  They  outlast 
the  May  Tulips  equally  with  the  April  Daffodils,  and  are 
still  a  mass  of  flower,  although  the  colour  may  have 
turned  from  purple  to  red,  when  the  June  Roses  come 
in.  There  is  danger  in  this  fecundity.  It  is  not  merely 
physical  danger  to  other  plants,  less  robust  of  consti- 
tution and  more  compact  of  habit,  but  the  moral  danger 
that  they  may  have  first  a  deadening  and  then  an  irri- 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     93 

tating  effect  on  the  grower.  These  masses  of  undis- 
tinguished flowers,  these  myriads  of  commonplace  and 
ignoble  things,  become  as  tiresome  as  great  congregations 
of  people  without  refinement  or  distinction,  whose 
habits,  manners  and  customs  are  always  the  same, 
and  if  not  actually  offensive,  nevertheless  arouse  a 
feeling  of  repulsion  because  of  their  commonness.  They 
are  important  only  by  their  numbers,  and  thus  can  only 
arouse  interest  at  a  distance.  There  cannot  be  a  doubt 
that  many  rock  gardeners  have  lost  the  interest  which 
they  once  had  owing  to  the  influence  of  certain 
assertive  plants,  which,  beautiful  enough  in  their  youth, 
become  the  ogre  of  the  place,  smothering  Iocs  vigorous 
things,  usurping  space  that  belonged  to  delicate  gems, 
affording  cover  for  pests,  and  impoverishing  and  drying 
the  soil.  They  have  developed,  indeed,  all  the  evil 
force  of  weeds,  while  retaining  a  certain  elemental 
and  barbaric  beauty,  which  by  turns  seems  to  condone 
all  the  mischief  that  they  have  done,  and  to  make  them 
worse  offenders  from  their  vulgar  brilliance.  Consider, 
however,  all  the  undoubted  virtues  of  these  plants  : 
their  hardiness,  their  adaptability  to  all  kinds  of  soil, 
their  unappeasable  appetite  for  growth  and  flowering 
— consider  all  these  things  in  conjunction  with  the 
possibility  of  developing  kinds  which  have  intrinsic 
beauty  of  bloom,  and  it  becomes  at  once  apparent 
that  they  are  of  great  importance.  Given  individual 
beauty,  each  plant  will  be  cherished  and  tended.  It  will 
not  be  neglected,  overlooked,  or  forgotten.  It  will 
receive  the  same  attention  as  the  most  beautiful  weakling. 
It  will  be  sought  day  by  day  as  one  of  the  stars  of  the 
Alpine  garden.  Its  good  and  bad  qualities  will  be  under 
constant  observation.  If  it  is  encroaching  it  will  be 
checked.  If  it  is  overlying  some  tiny  neighbour  it  will 


94  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

be  drawn  away.     If  slugs  gather  under  its  protecting 
masses  they  will  be  discovered  and  destroyed.     In  the 
Aubrietias  we  are  coming  to  this  most  happy  consum- 
mation, and  they  may  be  fairly  chosen  as  typical  of  the 
development   which   is   going   on   with   Alpine   plants. 
Kinds    have    been    produced — in    some    cases    hybrids, 
in   others   selected   seedlings — which  have  real  beauty 
of  bloom,  and  are  greatly  superior  to  the  old  species. 
No  longer  can  it  be  said  that  the  purple  Rock  Cress 
is  a  commonplace  flower,  devoid  of  other  interest  than 
that  of  bulk.    In  modern  varieties  we  have  large  flowers 
of  good  form,  with  brilliant  colours.    A  small  clump  can 
hold  its  own  for  beauty  with  the  rest  of  rock  plants. 
The  plants  have  not,  however,  lost  the  vigour  and  per- 
sistency of  blooming  of  the  older  species,  and  become 
a  shadow  of  the  originals.     They  are  strong  and  flori- 
ferous.    I  will  give  a  brief  description  of  some  of  the  best 
of  the  newer  Aubrietias,  first  reminding  the  reader  that 
even  some  of  the  older  kinds  which  are  generally  con- 
sidered to  be  species   are  really   only  varieties.     The 
number  of  true  species  is,  indeed,  very  small.    The  best 
known  is  deltoidea,  a  native  of  the  Levant,  whence  it 
was  introduced  in  1710.     It  has  purple  flowers,  but  the 
colour  is  variable.    On  limestone  soil  I  find  that  as  spring 
merges  into  summer  the  plants,  while  still  extending 
rapidly  and  in  robust  health,  exhibit  a  complete  change 
of  colour.     The  purple  fades  to  a  deep  bronzy  rose, 
hardly  less  pleasing  than  the  original  hue.     It  is  easy 
to  perceive,  from  this  variability,  that  a  person  growing 
a  large  number  of  seedlings  would  have  the  opportunity 
of  making  selections,  which,  with  care,  could  be  fixed 
to  a  new  hue.    Examples  of  varieties  of  deltoidea  which 
are  often  grown  as  species  are  Campbelli,  which  is  grown 
as   a   species   under   the   name   of   Hendersoni ;    Eyrei, 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     95 

which  is  grown  as  olympica ;  and  graeca,  which  is  grown 
under  the  name  of  superba.  The  two  first-named  have 
violet  flowers,  the  last  is  lilac  or  light  mauve.  They  are 
pretty,  but  they  are  surpassed  by  more  modern  varieties. 
Bougainvillei,  light  violet ;  grandiflora,  deep  violet ; 
rosea,  rose  ;  purpurea,  deep  purple  ;  and  violacea,  deep 
violet,  are  other  of  the  earlier  forms  of  deltoidea.  Turning 
to  the  modern  sorts,  I  would  first  draw  attention  to  the 
beautiful  variety  Dr.  Mules,  which  I  consider  to  be  one 
of  the  best,  if  not  the  very  best,  of  the  large  violet  forms. 
This  splendid  sort  has  very  large  well-formed  flowers  of 
rich  colour,  and  it  is  a  free  and  vigorous  grower.  Prichard's 
A  i  is  another  dark  Aubrietia  which  satisfies  by  its  depth 
of  colour  and  large  size  of  bloom.  It  is  an  intense, 
glowing  violet.  J.  S.  Baker  is  a  variety  of  the  largest 
size,  and  it  too  has  brilliantly  rich  dark  blue  or  violet 
flowers.  Paul's  Purple  deserves  mention  as  a  fine  form 
of  vivid  colour.  Last  of  the  dark  selfs  I  may  mention 
Lloyd  Edwards,  a  truly  splendid  variety,  with  great 
flowers  painted  of  the  deepest  violet -blue.  A  large 
mass  of  this  magnificent  variety  is  a  sight  not  soon  to  be 
forgotten. 

A  variety  that  well  merits  cultivation  is  H.  Marshall, 
which  has  large  violet  flowers  with  a  clear  white  eye. 
It  has  a  charm  of  its  own,  and  is  quite  likely  to  establish 
itself  as  one  of  the  prime  favourites  of  the  collection, 
differing,  as  it  does,  from  the  pick  of  the  self-coloured 
sorts,  and  yet  having  the  same  fine  quality.  One  of  the 
most  exquisitely  beautiful  and  refined  Aubrietias  which 
it  has  been  my  pleasure  to  grow  is  the  variety  simply 
named  Lavender.  In  size  it  is  qualified  to  vie  with  the 
largest  of  the  dark  sorts,  while  the  colour  is  as  distinct 
as  it  is  lovely.  It  is  indeed  a  variety  of  the  first  merit, 
for  size  and  form  are  perfect,  while  the  shade  is  pleasing 


96  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

to  a  degree ;  it  is  not  far  from  the  hue  of  that  lovely 
Sweet  Pea  Lady  Grisell  Hamilton,  which  long  held 
undisputed  sway  in  its  colour,  and  is  not  yet  forgotten, 
although,  as  we  see  elsewhere,  modern  forms  have 
largely  superseded  it  in  gardens.  Lavender  has  a  grey 
leaf.  Coming  to  the  red  Aubrietias,  one  of  the  first  of 
the  improved  forms  was  Leichtlinii,  which  held  its  own 
quite  easily  until  the  advent  of  Fire  King.  The  latter 
is  perhaps  the  most  vivid  of  all  the  Rock  Cresses.  Varying 
from  clear  rose  to  a  deeper,  rosy  magenta,  it  is  in  all  its 
hues  a  brilliant  and  glittering  flower,  playing  a  brave 
part  in  lighting  up  the  rockery  in  late  spring.  Bright 
as  are  these  varieties  they  lack,  to  my  mind,  the  beauty 
of  Moerheimii,  which  is  less  vivid,  but  is  a  variety  of 
the  most  delicate  colour  and  refined  appearance.  In 
size  this  is  perhaps  the  largest  of  all  the  Aubrietias, 
and  the  colour  is  soft  pink,  contrasting  pleasingly  with 
the  grey  leaf.  It  is  a  lovely  variety,  and  its  quality 
is  of  the  kind  that  grows  more  attractive  with  a  long 
acquaintance.  The  variegated  Aubrietias  are  not  of 
great  importance.  They  lack  the  free,  graceful,  natural 
habit  and  appearance  of  the  green  and  grey-leafed  forms  ; 
and  if  not  actually  out  of  place  on  the  rockery  are  hardly 
in  keeping  with  its  main  characters.  If  they  are  liked, 
positions  that  are  not  too  important  and  conspicuous 
can  be  found  for  them  ;  but  they  can  never  take  the 
place  of  the  bolder,  freer  varieties  with  plain  leaves. 
Argentea  variegata,  which  has  a  white-edged  leaf, 
is  possibly  the  best.  The  propagation  of  the  choice 
Aubrietias  is  naturally  a  matter  of  greater  moment  than 
that  of  the  common  varieties,  such  as  graeca  and  pur- 
purea,  seed  of  which  is  sold  cheaply  by  every  seedsman. 
One's  thoughts  turn  to  cuttings,  inasmuch  as  the  plants 
produce  abundance  of  young  shoots,  but  Aubrietias 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  97 

do  not  strike  so  readily  as  might  be  supposed  from  the 
airy  nonchalance  with  which  this  method  of  increase 
is  commonly  prescribed.  Neither  the  long  shoots  drawn 
from  the  base  of  the  central  rootstock,  nor  the  tips  of 
green  young  shoots,  strike  freely,  and  it  is  little  use 
trying  them  in  the  open  ground.  Even  in  a  frame  or 
greenhouse  the  majority  will  probably  go  off.  If  cuttings 
are  to  be  tried  it  is  well  to  put  them  in  pans  or  pots 
containing  gritty  soil  and  cover  them  with  a  handlight 
in  order  to  keep  them  close.  Only  under  such  conditions 
will  the  majority  of  them  make  roots.  Seeds  may  some- 
times be  collected  if  the  plants  are  looked  over  about 
midsummer.  Fertile  pods  are  of  about  the  size  and  shape 
of  Cucumber  seeds  ;  there  may  be  many  smaller  ones, 
but  it  is  likely  that  these  are  infertile  and  on  being  slit 
open  longitudinally  will  be  found  to  be  seedless.  The 
seeds  in  the  larger  pods  will  be  ready  for  gathering 
when  the  latter  turn  yellow,  and  may  be  sown  in  a  pan 
of  light  soil  in  a  frame.  The  commoner  varieties  may  be 
sown  in  the  open  ground  in  June.  Where  a  good  variety 
of  Aubrietia  forms  plenty  of  side  shoots  the  longer  ones 
may  be  nicked  with  a  knife,  laid  down,  and  covered 
nearly  to  the  tip  with  moist  gritty  soil  in  the  hope  of 
encouraging  the  formation  of  roots.  This  process  is 
called  layering,  and  if  successful  gives  a  much  larger 
stock  of  plants  than  can  be  got  by  division.  Never- 
theless, the  rootstocks  may  be  separated  in  the  fall  or 
in  early  spring.  On  the  face  of  things  division  is  a  ready 
means  of  getting  a  large  supply  of  plants  if  there  is  one 
spacious  clump  at  hand  to  draw  from  ;  but  it  is  found 
on  examination  that  all  the  outer  shoots  radiate  from 
a  common  centre,  and  that  however  large  the  clump 
may  be  the  rootstock  itself  is  very  small.  For  this  reason 
it  is  not  possible  to  get  a  very  large  stock  of  plants  by 


98  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

dividing  Aubrietias.  Fortunately  this  is  to  some  extent 
counterbalanced  by  the  vigorous  growth,  and  a  few 
plants  go  a  long  way.  It  is  perhaps  scarcely  necessary 
to  add  that  the  Aubrietias  love  a  sunny  spot  and  a  rather 
dry  soil.  Intense  heat  and  extreme  drought  may  check 
the  blooming,  but  are  not  likely  to  injure  the  plants. 
After  the  principal  flowering  they  may  be  clipped  over, 
and  will  soon  break  into  fresh  growth  and  present  a 
verdant,  cheerful  look  throughout  the  summer. 

CALANDRINIA  UMBELLATA.— One  wonders  that 
this  beautiful  plant  is  not  grown  more,  for  it  gives  a 
profusion  of  violet  flowers  on  stems  six  inches  high  in 
summer ;  and  is  in  its  season  one  of  the  most  exquisite 
plants  which  could  be  put  on  the  rockery.  It  is  also 
suitable  for  growing  in  pans  in  a  cool  house.  A  biennial, 
it  may  be  flowered  the  first  year  by  sowing  seed  in  a  warm 
house  or  frame  towards  the  end  of  winter,  pricking-off, 
hardening,  and  planting  in  the  rockery  early  in  June. 
Allied  to  the  Portulacas,  it  loves  sunshine. 

CAMPANULAS. — The  dwarfer  Bellflowers  mentioned 
in  the  chapter  on  border  plants,  such  as  the  forms  of 
Carpathica,  are  good  plants  for  the  rockery.  Profusion, 
with  its  pale  blue  flowers,  Garganica  and  its  varieties 
alba,  hirsuta  and  hirsuta  alba,  Portenschlagiana  (muralis), 
a  small-flowered  but  pretty  blue  species  five  or  six  inches 
high,  pulla  with  blue,  and  pulloides  with  larger  purple 
flowers,  pusilla  (pumila),  blue  and  the  white  variety 
alba,  are  all  good  rock  Campanulas,  growing  only  three 
or  four  inches  high,  and  blooming  freely.  Reuteriana, 
with  blue  flowers  an  inch  across,  on  stems  nine  inches 
high,  may  be  mentioned  as  a  little-known  and  pretty 
kind.  The  Campanulas  are  too  well  known  to  need 
lengthyMescription,  but  it  is  worth  noting  that  they  are 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  99 

not  only  valuable  for  the  beautiful  shades  of  blue  which 
they  give,  but  also  because  they  will  thrive  on  poor 
soil  in  dry  places.  They  are,  of  course,  summer  bloomers. 

CARDAMINE  TRIFOLIATA.— This  pretty  sister  of 
the  Lady's-smock,  with  its  white  flowers  in  early  spring, 
is  worth  a  place  in  the  bog  garden. 

CELMISIA  HOLOSERICEA.— A  most  beautiful  plant, 
too  little  known.  It  bears  large  flowers  with  a  yellow 
centre.  It  should  be  covered  with  a  square  of  glass  in 
winter.  Coriacea  is  another  good  Celmisia. 

CHEIRANTHUS  (WALLFLOWER).  —The  common 
Wallflower  creates  a  sympathetic  feeling  towards  the 
members  of  its  genus,  but  in  the  case  of  Allionii  it  needs 
no  adventitious  aid,  for  it  is  a  beautiful  plant  growing 
about  a  foot  high,  of  erect  habit,  and  well  suited  either 
for  the  border  or  rockery.  It  bears  its  warm  orange- 
yellow  flowers  in  great  profusion,  and  over  a  long  period 
in  good  soil.  On  dry  limestone  it  is  not  so  much  at  home 
as  its  sister  the  Wallflower.  I  think  this  is  a  better  plant 
than  either  C.  Alpinus  or  C.  Marshalli,  both  of  which  are 
used  for  the  rockery.  C.  Allioni  seeds  itself  freely. 
There  is  another  plant  in  commerce  under  the  name  of 
Allioni ;  it  is  less  neat  in  habit  and  paler  in  colour ; 
probably  it  is  a  form  of  Alpinus.  A  hybrid  between 
mutabilis,  an  old  species  with  purple  and  yellow  flowers, 
and  Allioni  has  been  raised ;  it  has  flowers  of  a  warm, 
bronzy  orange. 

CHRYSOGONUM  VIRGINIANUM.— A  useful  plant  for 
summer  blooming,  with  showy  yellow  flowers  on  stems 
nine  inches  high.  It  likes  a  cool,  shady  spot. 

CISTUSES.— All  the  Cistuses  may  be  used  in  the  rock 
garden  if  space  permits.  See~notes~in  chapter  iv. 


ioo  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

CONANDRON  RAMONDIOIDES.— This  choice  and  rare 
Japanese  gesneraceous  plant  is  of  much  interest.  It 
resembles  the  well-known  Ramondia,  and  hence  the 
specific  name.  The  flowers  are  pale  mauve  in  colour, 
on  stems  about  nine  inches  high,  and  are  produced  in 
spring.  It  likes  a  shady  spot,  with  plenty  of  peat  in  the 
soil. 

CORIS  MONSPELIENSIS.— A  very  pretty  plant  with 
lavender  flowers  lightened  by  orange  anthers,  on  spikes 
about  six  inches  high,  in  early  summer.  It  is  a  gem  for 
sandy  soil  and  sunny  spots. 

CORONILLA  CAPPADOCICA  (SYN.  IBERICA).— The 

Crown  Vetches  are  a  numerous  genus,  and  the  majority 
are  shrubs,  but  the  species  named  is  a  pretty  trailer  with 
creamy  flowers  borne  in  a  spike  a  few  inches  high  in 
summer ;  it  is  well  suited  to  the  rockery. 

CORYDALIS  (FUMITORY).— Pretty  plants,  but  need- 
ing a  firm  hand  on  limestone  soils,  where  they  become 
weeds ;  this  is  particularly  the  case  with  lutea.  Nobilis 
is  a  better  plant.  Wilsoni,  with  grey  leaves,  and  cheir- 
anthifolia,  with  creamy,  fern-like  foliage,  are  rare  species 
which  are  worth  places.  The  claims  of  tomentosa, 
with  yellow  flowers,  might  also  be  weighed. 

CYCLAMENS. — The  hardy  Cyclamens,  such  as  coum, 
europaeum  and  neapolitanum  and  their  varieties,  are 
beautiful  little  plants  and  never  look  better  than  when 
planted  in  small  colonies.  They  love  a  shady  spot, 
shelter  from  cold  winds  in  spring  and  well-drained 
loamy  soil.  They  may  be  grown  on  the  rockery,  or 
naturalized  under  a  tree  or  north  wall. 

DAPHNES. — Both  Blagayana  and  Cneorum  are  of 
prostrate  habit,  and  well  adapted  for  the  rockery.  The 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK"  PLANTS  161 

former  has  cream  and  the  latter  pink  flowers  ;  both  are 
scented.  There  is  a  variety  of  Cneorum  called  major 
which  has  larger,  deeper-coloured  flowers  than  the  type, 
and  is  desirable.  They  like  peaty  soil,  and  are  the  better 
for  being  pressed  well  down  to  the  soil.  Propagation  is 
by  layers  in  autumn.  These  charming  plants  are  ever- 
greens. 

DIANTHUS  (ALPINE  PINK). — There  are  several  plants 
in  this  lovely  genus  besides  the  familiar  Alpinus,  deltoides, 
neglectus,  caesius  and  superbus,  which  are  worthy  of 
the  attention  of  flower-lovers.  I  may  instance  Atkinsoni, 
a  beautiful  plant,  blooming  in  May,  with  bright  crimson 
flowers.  It  differs  from  deltoides,  which  will  thrive 
on  an  arid  wall,  in  requiring  a  shady  position ;  it  is, 
however,  hardy.  It  is  a  difficult  plant  to  propagate, 
as  it  makes  very  little  growth,  and  to  get  shoots  for 
cuttings  flowers  must  be  removed  in  order  to  encourage 
growth.  Snowdrift,  double  white,  is  a  beautiful  Pink, 
probably  a  form  of  plumarius.  Graniticus  is  not  much 
grown  ;  it  resembles  deltoides,  and  is  perhaps  a  form  of  it, 
but  is  a  larger  flower.  The  variety  of  caesius  called 
grandiflorus  will  interest  those  who  admire  that  species, 
and  the  white  variety  of  Alpinus  is  noteworthy. 

EDRAIANTHUS  SERPYLLIFOLIUS.— A  synonym  of 
Campanula  serpyllifolia,  a  plant  of  prostrate  habit,  with 
purple,  bell-shaped  flowers  on  wiry  stems,  borne  in  early 
summer.  There  is  a  fine  form  called  major. 

EPIMEDIUMS. — Beautiful  plants,  which  are  rapidly 
rising  in  favour  for  the  rock  garden.  They  form  compact 
masses  of  graceful  foliage,  above  which  the  flowers  are 
borne  in  pretty  panicles.  A  point  in  their  favour  is 
that  they  will  thrive  in  shady  places.  Alpinus,  with 


102  THE  NEW   GARDENING 

crimson  and  yellow  flowers  in  May,  about  nine  inches 
high,  is  the  best  known.  Niveum  is  a  splendid  plant, 
with  white,  bronzy,  shield-shaped  leaves.  Macranthum  is 
also  a  grand  plant ;  the  type  has  blue  and  white  flowers, 
but  there  are  several  varieties.  Pinnatum  elegans 
(true)  is  a  beautiful  yellow.  Musschianum,  with  green 
foliage  and  white  flowers  in  spring,  is  very  pretty.  Propa- 
gation is  by  division  in  early  summer. 

ERINUS. — Charming  little  plants,  of  dense,  compact 
growth,  and  bearing  abundance  of  small  flowers  in  spring. 
The  type  is  Alpinus,  a  plant  growing  six  inches  high, 
with  rose  or  rosy  magenta  flowers  in  spring ;  there  is 
a  white  variety,  albus ;  and  a  deep  rose,  carmineus. 
Propagated  by  seed  in  spring.  It  should  be  protected 
from  heavy  and  protracted  winter  rains. 

ERITRICHIUM  NANUM.— Essentially  a  plant  for 
the  combative  flower-lover,  whose  aim  in  life  is  to  grow 
plants  that  do  not  want  to  be  grown.  It  is  a  little  blue- 
flowered  gem,  but  gives  much  trouble  ;  it  is  impatient  of 
winter  rain,  and  cannot  be  kept  alive  unless  protected 
in  winter.  It  should  be  grown  in  gritty  soil  in  a  position, 
such  as  a  nearly  vertical  crevice,  where  rain  cannot  beat 
on  it,  or  be  covered  in  winter  with  a  square  of  glass. 

ERODIUM  (HERON'S  BILL).— The  species  chamse- 
dryoides  (Reichardi)  with  white  flowers,  and  macra- 
denum,  white,  veined  with  rose,  are  well  known.  They 
are  low,  Geranium-like  plants,  and  easily  grown. 

ERYTHRONIUM  (DOG'S  TOOTH  VIOLET).— The  com- 
mon species,  with  its  marbled  leaves  and  pretty  flowers, 
is  worth  growing  ;  and  still  more  so  are  Johnsoni,  a 
beautiful  Californian  species  with  large  rose  flowers  in 
spring,  and  giganteum.  with  large  cream  flowers,  both 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     103 

with  marbled  leaves.     Propagated  by  bulbs.     Ordinary 
soil.    They  love  moisture. 

GENTIANS.— The  rich  blues  of  these  lovely  Alpines  are 
unequalled  among  rock  plants.  Acaulis,  Bavarica, 
asclepiadea,  lutea,  Andre wsii,  septemfida  and  verna  are 
well-known  plants,  and  the  first  is  particularly  admired, 
but  it  is  a  somewhat  faddy  plant,  refusing  to  thrive  under 
good  culture  in  some  cases,  and  yet  rioting  under  com- 
parative neglect  in  others.  One  of  the  most  successful 
cases  that  I  know  is  in  a  Stirlingshire  farmhouse  garden, 
where  it  forms  a  long  border  beside  a  gravel  walk,  and, 
left  to  itself,  spreads  and  blooms  freely  year  after  year. 
There  is  a  white  variety,  alba.  Latifolia  is  a  splendid 
variety  of  septemfida,  with  large,  brilliant  blue  flowers 
in  July.  Of  the  less-known  species  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  is  Przewalskii,  a  free-blooming,  low-growing 
Chinese  plant,  with  deep  blue  flowers  in  'July.  The 
Alpines  like  sandy  peat,  with  plenty  of  moisture,  and 
are  the  better  for  an  annual  top-dressing.  They  may  be 
divided  in  spring. 

GERANIUM,  GEUM,  GYPSOPHILA.— See  border 
plants.  Gypsophila  cerastrioides  is  a  pretty  white- 
flowered  species  suitable  for  the  rockery,  and  repens, 
also  white,  is  another  good  plant ;  there  is  a  pretty  pink 
form  of  the  latter  called  rosea.  Some  nurserymen  offer 
repens  and  its  varieties  under  the  name  of  prostrata. 
These  useful  plants  thrive  in  ordinary  soil  and  spread 
rapidly ;  they  may  be  divided  in  spring. 

HABERLEA  RHODOPENSIS.— This  pretty  Ramondia- 
like  plant  from  the  Balkan  mountains  is  becoming  fairly 
well  known,  and  may  be  commended  for  shady  spots 
on  the  rockery.  The  charming  lilac  flowers  are  borne 


io4  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

profusely  on  6-inch  stems  in  spring.  There  is  a  white 
variety  called  virginalis.  They  enjoy  moist  peaty  soil. 
The  tufts  may  be  divided  in  spring.  The  leaves  are 
rough  and  serrated.  There  is  a  rare  species  called  Ferdi- 
nanda-Koburgi,  the  blossom  of  which  is  mauve  and  bell- 
shaped,  on  stems  about  four  inches  high ;  a  pretty  and 
interesting  plant. 

HELIANTHEMUM  (SUN  ROSE).— The  amateur  with 
a  hot,  sunny  rockery  and  poor,  dry  soil,  will  turn  promptly 
to  the  Helianthemums  and  Sedums  ;  he  will  also  grow  a 
collection  of  Cistuses  (see  Border  Plants).  No  plants  will 
meet  his  case  quite  so  well  as  the  Sun  Roses,  and  the 
florists  have  now  given  us  a  large  selection  of  beautiful 
varieties,  which  bear  their  brilliant  and  varied  flowers 
freely  throughout  the  summer.  One  finds  that  the  Sun 
Roses  appreciate  as  much  as  most  plants  good  soil  and 
abundance  of  moisture,  but  the  great  thing  in  their 
favour  is  their  adaptability  for  dry,  hot  spots  where  the 
soil  lacks  humus.  The  following  will  be  found  beautiful 
varieties  :  Primrose  Dame,  light  yellow ;  Garibaldi,  rose  ; 
Jubilee,  double  yellow ;  Rhodanthe  carneum,  pink, 
grey  foliage ;  Golden  Queen,  bright  yellow  ;  oculatum, 
white,  yellow  eye  ;  Attraction,  salmon  with  orange  ring  ; 
Red  Dragon,  crimson ;  and  venustum  flore  pleno,  orange- 
red.  There  are  many  others.  Plant  out  of  small  pots  in 
spring  without  interfering  with  the  roots.  Propagation 
of  named  varieties  by  cuttings  in  a  frame  in  sandy  soil  in 
summer. 

HEUCHERA. — See  Border  Plants.  The  Heucheras 
are  good  plants  for  the  rockery. 

HIERACIUM  (HAWK WEED). — The  commoner  kinds 
should  be  avoided,  but  gymnocephalum,  which  has 
downy  leaves,  and  yellow  flowers  in  loose  spikes,  may  be 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS   105 

planted  for  July  flowering ;  villosum  is  another  good 
summer-blooming  yellow  species.  Ordinary  soil. 

HOUSTONIA  CffiRULEA.— A  minute  plant  with  pale 
blue  flowers  in  late  spring  ;  there  is  a  white  variety,  alba  ; 
the  species  serpyllifolia  has  lavender  flowers  in  May, 
but  there  is  also  a  white  form.  Ordinary  soil.  Propaga- 
tion by  division. 

;  HUTCHINSIA  (NOCC^JA)  ALPINA.— A  low-growing 
white  Alpine,  blooming  in  spring.  Any  light  soil.  Propa- 
gation by  seeds  in  spring. 

IBERIS  (PERENNIAL  CANDYTUFT).  —  Valuable 
plants,  owing  to  their  adaptability  to  various  soils, 
vigorous  growth,  and  abundant  blooming.  Semper- 
virens  is  perhaps  the  best  known  of  the  perennial  rock 
Candytufts,  and  of  this  there  are  several  good  varieties, 
such  as  plenum  (double),  superba,  Perfection,  Snow- 
flake,  Climax,  Little  Gem  and  Garrexiama  ;  all  are  white- 
flowered  ;  the  last  is  one  of  the  best,  as  the  flowers  are 
very  large.  Gibraltarica  is  very  popular,  with  its  pale 
pink  flowers,  but  it  is  not  perfectly  hardy ;  and 
corifolia,  with  large  white  flowers  in  early  summer, 
evergreen,  is  also  widely  used.  Jucunda,  three  inches 
high,  with  pink  flowers  in  May,  is  less  familiar  than  the 
others  named.  Propagation  by  seeds  and  cuttings  in 
spring.  Ordinary  soil. 

IRIS. — See  Border  Plants.  The  smaller  Irises,  such  as 
persica,  reticulata,  histrio,  histrioides,  pavonia  (Peacock 
Iris,  not  hardy),  Gatesii,  Bucharica,  sisyrinchium,  Sind- 
jarensis  and  pumila,  are  well  adapted  for  the  rock  garden. 

LEONTOPODIUM  ALPINUM  (EDELWEISS). —Too  well 
known  to  need  description.  Quite  easy  to  grow,  but 
liable  to  die  out  in  wet  winters  unless  protected  with 


io6  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

glass.  Stone  chippings  may  also  be  sprinkled  around 
it.  Or  it  may  be  planted  in  the  crevice  of  a  nearly 
vertical  wall.  Sibiricum,  often  offered  as  a  species,  is 
simply  a  larger  variety. 

LIN  ARIA  (TOADFLAX).— The  species  Alpina,  with 
deep  mauve  flowers  in  July,  and  grey  leaves,  is  a  good 
rock  plant.  Cymbalaria,  the  "  Kenilworth  Ivy,"  and 
the  variety  rosea  are  good  for  dry  spots.  Ordinary  soil. 

LITHOSPERMUM  (GROM WELL) .—The  best -known 
member  of  this  genus  is  L.  prostratum,  a  vigorous 
creeper  with  brilliant  blue  flowers  in  summer.  Heavenly 
Blue  is  a  somewhat  paler  form  of  it.  Canescens  has 
tubular  orange  flowers.  Intermedium,  with  blue  tubular 
flowers  on  6-inch  stems  in  early  summer,  is  a  beautiful 
species.  Gastoni  is  a  lovely  rare  Alpine,  blue  with  white 
centre,  about  a  foot  high.  Rosmarinifolium,  blue, 
nine  inches  high,  is  also  worth  mentioning ;  it  is  an  ever- 
green. They  like  gritty  loam,  with  plenty  of  moisture. 
A  dry  site  with  poor  soil  does  not  suit  them,  for  although 
they  may  bloom  in  beautiful  colour  the  first  year  of 
planting  they  are  likely  to  dwindle  away  afterwards. 
Propagation  by  division  and  cuttings  in  spring. 

MACROTOMIA.— See  Arnebia. 

MERTENSIA.— Beautiful  plants,  of  which  the  best 
known  is  Virginica  (syn.  pulmonarioides) ,  the  Virginian 
Cowslip ;  it  bears  blue,  rose-tinged  flowers  on  1 5-inch 
stems  in  spring.  Echioides  is  dwarfer  and  has  deep, 
gentian-blue  flowers.  There  is  a  variety  of  this  called 
elongata,  which  grows  a  foot  high  and  is  brilliant  blue. 
Primuloides,  blue  with  yellow  eye,  is  another  pretty  plant. 
Sibirica,  blue,  and  its  white  and  dark  blue  forms,  are 
well-known  border  plants.  The  Mertensias  do  best  in 


MYOSOTIS    AI.PESTRES 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     107 

peaty  soil  and  rather  shady  positions.    Propagation  is  by 
division  in  spring. 

MORISIA  HYPOGZEA. — An  exceedingly  useful  spring- 
blooming  plant,  with  verdant,  deeply  cut  leaves  and  small 
bright  yellow  flowers.  Ordinary  soil.  Propagation  by 
cuttings  and  division. 

MYOSOTIS  (FORGET  -  ME  -  NOT) .  —  These  popular 
flowers  are  largely  used  in  spring  bedding,  but  one  or 
two  species  are  well  worth  growing  on  the  rockery, 
notably  alpestris  (syn.  rupicola)  the  true  Alpine  Forget- 
me-not,  which  forms  dense  tufts  about  three  inches 
high  ;  the  flowers  blue  with  white  eye.  Elegant issima  is 
a  variety  of  it.  Stabiana,  with  lavender  flowers  in  July, 
is  a  less  familiar  plant,  worth  adding  to  the  rockery. 
Ordinary  soil.  Propagation  by  seeds  and  division. 

NARCISSUS. — Some  of  the  smaller  kinds,  such  as 
Johnstoni  Queen  of  Spain,  cyclamineus,  Bulbocodium, 
triandrus  and  the  variety  calathinus  with  white  drooping 
flowers,  are  suitable  for  the  rockery. 

OMPHALODES  VERNA.— A  pretty  blue  Forget-me- 
not-like  creeper,  six  inches  high,  blooming  very  early  in 
spring  ;  there  is  a  white  variety.  Ordinary  soil  in  partial 
shade.  Propagation  by  seeds  or  division  in  spring. 
Luciliae  blooms  later  ;  it  is  a  good  blue-flowered  Alpine. 

ONOSMA. — There  is  one  very  popular  plant  in  this 
genus,  namely,  the  "  Golden  Drop,"  Tauricum,  which  is 
really  a  variety  of  stellulatum  ;  it  has  yellow,  tubular, ' 
drooping  flowers  borne  loosely  on  a  i-foot  stem  in  early 
summer,  and  has  a  faint  Almond  scent.  There  is  no 
prettier  rockery  plant.  It  likes  a  well-drained  position  ; 
in  a  damp  place  it  is  liable  to  extinction  in  a  wet  winter 
unless  protected  with  glass.  I  grew  it  successfully  for 


io8  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

several  years  unprotected  in  the  crevice  of  an  almost 
vertical  wall,  but  the  terrible  April  weather  of  1911 
killed  it.  The  type,  stellulatum,  bears  creamy  flowers 
in  May.  Album-roseum  is  well  worth  growing ;  it  opens 
white  and  turns  pink  with  age.  The  plant  forms  cushions 
of  grey  leaves  and  is  hardier  and  longer-lived  than 
Tauricum.  Propagation  by  cuttings  annually ;  it  is 
best  treated  as  a  biennial. 

PAP  AVER  (POPPY).— See  Border  Plants.  The  smaller 
kinds,  such  as  Alpinum  and  nudicaule  (the  Iceland 
Poppy)  and  their  varieties,  are  good  for  the  rockery. 
They  come  readily  from  seed.  Ordinary  soil. 

PAROCHJETUS  COMMUNIS  (SHAMROCK  PEA).— An 
uncommon  and  pretty  plant,  of  creeping  habit,  with 
zoned  leaves  and  blue  flowers  on  2-inch  stems  in  summer  ; 
there  is  a  large  variety  called  major.  The  Shamrock 
Pea  is  worth  a  place  on  the  rockery,  where  it  should  be 
sheltered  with  a  square  of  glass  in  winter.  Sandy  loam 
suits  it.  Propagation  by  division  or  cuttings  in  spring. 

PENTSTEMON.— See  Border  Plants.  Some  of  the 
species,  notably  Lewisi,  lavender,  Menziesii,  mauve, 
and  its  variety  Scouleri,  also  mauve,  tubiflorus,  white, 
pubescens,  lavender,  Hartwegi,  scarlet,  caeruleus,  blue, 
and  glaber,  purplish  blue,  are  suitable  for  the  rockery, 
where  they  bloom  freely  in  summer.  They  grow  from 
a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  high.  The  beautiful  scarlet 
'variety  Newbury  Gem  is  also  good  for  the  rockery. 
Loam,  with  sand  and  peat,  suits.  Propagation  by 
cuttings  late  in  summer. 

PHLOXES. — The  Alpine  species  and  their  varieties 
are  gems  for  the  rock  garden,  and  should  be  planted 
freely.  Divaricata  (syn.  Canadensis)  and  subulata 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  109 

(syn.  setacea)  are  the  principal  species.  The  former 
is  a  charming  Alpine  with  lilac  flowers  on  stems  about 
a  foot  long;  there  is  a  splendid  variety  of  it  called  Laphami, 
which  bears  huge  lavender  flowers  in  May.  Perry's 
variety  is  equally  good.  There  are  also  a  white  named 
alba  and  a  dark  form  named  Violet  Queen.  Divaricata 
looks  beautiful  when  planted  in  a  groundwork  of  the 
lovely  little  white  grape  Hyacinth,  Muscari  botryoides 
alba,  either  on  the  rockery  or  at  the  front  of  a  border. 
Subulata  is  of  prostrate  habit,  and  bears  its  flowers  in 
such  profusion  that  the  plants  are  quite  covered  with 
bloom ;  of  its  many  varieties  annulata,  lavender,  The 
Bride,  white,  pink  eye,  Newry  Seedling,  lilac,  Vivid, 
rose,  Kathleen,  lilac,  crimson  eye,  G.  F.  Wilson,  mauve, 
frondosa,  rose,  atropurpurea,  purple,  Nelsoni,  white, 
and  Seraph,  white  with  blue  centre,  are  particularly 
worthy  of  mention.  Another  good  Phlox  for  rockwork 
is  amoena,  rose  ;  the  variety  rosea  is  bright  rose  ;  these 
bloom  in  May.  Reptans,  with  satiny  rose  flowers  on  6-inch 
stems  in  May,  ought  to  be  mentioned  also.  While  the 
Alpine  Phloxes  do  best  in  a  good  loamy  soil  with  plenty 
of  moisture  they  will  do  very  well  in  comparatively  poor 
soil.  Propagation  by  cuttings  after  flowering.  Pilosa 
is  a  handsome  and  distinct  Alpine  Phlox,  with  erect 
hairy  stems  about  a  foot  high  bearing  heads  of  rose 
flowers ;  alba  is  a  white  variety  of  it  and  Brilliant  a 
crimson  ;  they  like  sandy  loam  and  a  sunny  position. 

POLEMONIUM. — The  species  reptans,  which  has 
opposite,  heart-shaped  leaves  and  satiny  blue  bell- 
shaped  flowers  on  6-inch  stems  in  May,  is  a  nice  rockery 
plant.  Confertum,  blue,  and  its  white  variety  melitum, 
dwarf  summer  bloomers,  are  also  good.  Richardsoni, 
with  bright  blue  flowers,  is  somewhat  taller,  but  may 


no  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

be  used  for  the  rockery  as  well  as  for  the  border.  Sandy 
loam  suits.  Propagation  is  by  division  or  seeds  in 
spring. 

POTENTILLA  (CINQUEFOIL) .— Nepalensis  (syn.  for- 
mosa)  with  salmon  -  rose  flowers ;  and  its  form  or 
hybrid  Miss  Willmott,  with  satin-rose  flowers,  and 
magnifica,  crimson ;  also  nitida,  with  pale  pink  flowers 
and  silvery  leaves,  and  its  varieties,  are  good  for  the 
rockery.  Dubia,  of  cushiony  growth  and  with  small 
yellow  flowers,  may  be  mentioned  too,  as  it  thrives  in 
poor  soil  on  a  dry  site. 

PRIMULAS.— It  is  possible  that  in  the  minds  of  most 
lovers  of  Alpine  gems  the  genus  Saxifraga  ranks  first, 
but  the  Primula  follows  it  closely,  and  to  those  who 
look  beyond  the  rockery  to  the  flower  garden  and  the 
greenhouse  the  latter  will  be  the  more  important  of  the 
two  great  plants.  Always  full  of  interest,  the  Primulas 
have  grown  vastly  more  absorbing  during  the  past 
few  years  owing  to  the  introduction  from  the  East 
of  several  distinct  and  beautiful  species  by  the 
two  famous  British  collectors  Forrest  and  Wilson. 
The  former,  travelling  in  the  interest  of  the  firm 
of  Bees,  Limited,  Liverpool,  has  made  many  dis- 
coveries of  great  beauty ;  while  the  latter,  collecting 
for  Veitch  and  Sons,  Chelsea,  London,  has  found 
some  remarkable  plants.  Practically  all  the  Primulas, 
except  the  non-hardy  Sinensis  and  its  forms,  are  suitable 
for  the  rock  garden,  but  it  is  common  to  prescribe  Japonica 
for  the  bog,  owing  to  its  great  love  of  a  moist,  shady  place; 
and  to  use  the  coloured  Primroses,  Polyanthuses,  and 
Oxlips — all  allied  plants — for  spring  bedding.  The  latter, 
it  is  true,  are  charming  rock  plants,  and,  were  there 
any  shortage  of  beautiful  and  interesting  species,  could 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     1 1 1 

be  pressed  into  service  without  hesitation  ;  but  there 
are  many  exquisite  species,  equally  beautiful  with 
the  cross-bred  forms,  that  have  prior  claim  owing  to 
their  greater  rarity.  With  few  exceptions  the  Primulas 
are  distinguished  by  profuse  blooming,  neat  habit, 
hardiness,  and  brilliant  colours.  The  majority  are  easy 
to  grow,  given  certain  simple  conditions,  and  they  in- 
crease readily.  Ease  of  culture,  however,  would  not  in 
itself  present  an  appeal  to  large  numbers  of  flower- 
lovers,  who  only  develop  a  really  absorbing  interest  in 
plants  which  are  difficult  to  manage,  unless  the  others 
have  exceptional  beauty  to  recommend  them.  This  the 
Primulas  have.  In  making  a  survey  of  the  genus  it 
may  be  well  to  give  a  reminder  first  of  what  may  be 
termed  the  standard  species,  more  especially  as  they 
have  in  some  cases  beautiful  modern  varieties,  hardly 
less  important  than  the  new  species.  For  example, 
the  charming  lavender-coloured  species  viscosa  has  a 
wide  circle  of  admirers,  and  these  can  hardly  fail  to 
feel  a  lively  interest  in  that  splendid  variety  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Wilson,  which  is  greatly  superior  to  the  type ;  each 
crown  carries  a  truss  of  large  mauve  flowers  with  a 
clear  white  eye.  Cortusoides  has  given  the  magenta- 
coloured  form  amoena,  and  the  still  more  beautiful 
President  Simon,  with  lavender  flowers. 

Of  rosea  we  have  the  large  form  grandiflora,  rosy 
carmine  with  yellow  eye,  an  exquisite  plant,  as  free- 
flowering,  given  a  cool,  moist  spot,  as  the  ;  parent. 
Apropos  of  rosea,  its  love  of  moisture  and  coolness 
cannot  be  emphasized  too  strongly.  Young  plants 
put  out  from  pots  in  spring  in  a  sunny  spot  may  ap- 
parently establish  themselves  and  bloom  happily,  yet 
die  off  in  the  summer ;  they  flower  from  old  crowns, 
but  are  unable  to  make  new  ones  for  the  following 


U2  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

season's    bloom.      Few   plants   bloom    more    profusely, 
or  give  more  brilliant  patches  of  colour. 

Japonica,  which  is  typically  deep  purplish  rose, 
gives  many  shades,  some  lighter,  some  darker  than 
the  species.  This  is  a  noble  plant,  and  those  who 
have  ample  space  at  the  waterside,  in  shade,  should 
grow  all  its  forms.  Rising  whorl  on  whorl  to  a 
height  of  eighteen  inches  on  a  strong  stem,  the 
flowers  present  a  brilliant  contrast  with  the  bright 
green  leaves.  One  of  the  most  distinct  of  the  smaller 
species  is  capitata,  which  bears  violet  flowers  in  spring 
and  again  in  September,  the  heads  of  bloom  surmount- 
ing stems  eight  or  nine  inches  high.  There  are  as  many 
hues  in  the  forms  of  denticulata  as  in  those  of  Japonica  ; 
the  most  popular  is  Cashmeriana,  a  beautiful  plant, 
with  globular  heads  of  deep  blue  flowers,  and  there  is 
a  white  form  of  it ;  grandiflora  is  a  large  form  of  denti- 
culata, of  a  corresponding  lilac  tint ;  purpurea  has 
purple  and  Rubin  ruby-coloured  flowers,  while  in  varie- 
gata  the  leaves  are  edged  with  white.  Marginata  is 
a  pretty  small  Primula  having  a  very  distinct  grey 
serrated  leaf  with  a  creamy  edge,  hence  the  specific 
name  marginata ;  the  flowers  are  lilac  and  are  produced 
in  spring.  Of  this  lovely  and  distinct  Primula  there  are 
large  forms,  such  as  major  and  grandiflora.  Inter- 
media, purplish  magenta,  spring ;  hirsuta,  with  large 
flowers  of  a  dusky  rose  or  maroon  with  white  eye,  spring  ; 
Clusiana,  dwarf,  heads  of  rosy  flowers  in  spring  ;  frondosa, 
lavender  flowers  in  spring  and  grassy  leaves  ;  Portae, 
mauve,  a  spring  bloomer ;  Sikkimensis,  lemon  heads, 
a  beautiful  plant,  late  spring ;  luteola,  small,  yellow, 
late  spring  or  early  summer;  suffrutescens,  rose,  yellow 
eye,  late  spring  ;  integrif olia,  purplish  rose ;  involucrata, 
creamy  umbels,  likes  the  same  conditions  as  Japonica  ; 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     113 

calycina  (syn.  glaucescens) ,  purple,  late  spring;  farinosa, 
purple  flowers  with  yellow  eye  in  heads,  the  Bird's-eye 
Primrose ;  pubescens,  rose,  and  its  beautiful  white 
form,  which  is  often  grown  under  the  name  of  nivalis  ; 
Scotica,  purple  with  yellow  eye ;  and  minima,  pale  rose, 
very  small — all  of  these  are  met  with  in  collections. 
There  is  also  the  very  popular  Sieboldii,  really  a  form  of 
cortusoides,  but  generally  given  specific  rank  owing 
to  the  many  improved  forms  of  it  which  have  been 
raised.  This  is  a  beautiful  and  free-blooming  plant, 
with  large,  deeply-cut  flowers.  Among  its  forms  may 
be  named  alba  grandiflora,  white ;  Harry  Leigh,  lilac 
with  white  centre ;  Reggiana,  white  or  pale  pink ;  Jose- 
phine, pink,  shaded  violet ;  and  Sirius,  dark  red.  This 
set  are  often  grown  in  pots.  The  foregoing  are  the 
best  known  of  the  older  species,  but  the  Primula-lover 
who  is  bent  on  forming  a  collection  of  these  lovely 
plants  will  find  that  there  are  many  scores  of  others. 
We  may  now  turn  to  the  newer  Primulas  with  a  free 
conscience.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  in  the  stir  created 
by  their  introduction  some  of  the  older  kinds,  gems 
though  they  be,  have  suffered  a  little  neglect.  How- 
ever, that  will  right  itself  in  time,  and  certainly  the 
best  of  the  modern  kinds  are  very  beautiful  and  desirable 
plants.  One  of  the  most  pleasing  is  Bulleyana,  which  re- 
sembles Japonica  in  habit,  but  is  somewhat  smaller  and 
has  orange  flowers.  It  is  a  remarkably  distinct  and 
beautiful  Primula,  and  may  be  the  parent  of  some 
interesting  hybrids ;  it  has  already  been  crossed  with 
Japonica,  and  the  hybrid  resulting  resembles  another 
hybrid  called  Unique,  which  owes  its  origin  to  a  cross 
between  the  species  Cockburniana  and  pulverulenta. 
Bulleyana  comes  from  China,  and  blooms  in  late  spring. 
Winteri  is  a  fine  plant  from  the  Himalayas,  where  it  grows 


1 14  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

at  a  height  of  12,000  feet.  The  plant  is  about  four 
inches  high,  and  the  flowers,  which  are  very  large,  are 
mauve  with  white  eye ;  the  leaves  are  powdered ;  it  has 
the  peculiarity  of  forming  some  plants  of  abnormally  large 
size.  It  may  be  propagated  from  seed  or  by  division ; 
some  of  the  seeds  are  slow  in  germinating,  but  that  is 
nothing  fresh  in  Primulas.  Winteri  was  introduced 
by  Mr.  Gill  of  Tremough,  Penryn,  Cornwall,  and  first 
shown  in  1911.  A  singular  Primula  is  Maximowiczii, 
a  plant  from  northern  China,  with  red,  drooping,  re- 
curved flowers,  almost  like  a  small  Martagon  Lily. 
Cockburniana,  with  salmon-buff  flowers  in  slender  sprays 
on  g-inch  stems  in  late  spring,  aroused  some  interest 
on  its  introduction,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  will 
hold  the  place  it  was  given.  It  has,  however,  as  mentioned 
above,  been  crossed  with  pulverulenta  ;  and  two  separate 
crosses  have  given  the  hybrids  respectively  called  Unique 
and  Lissadell  Hybrid,  which  bear  their  brownish  red 
flowers  in  whorls,  in  the  same  way  as  Japonica.  Other 
hybrids  wfll  probably  be  forthcoming,  and  if  they  are 
fertile,  like  Unique,  will  be  valuable  plants.  Pulveru- 
lenta is  a  very  robust  species  of  the  same  habit  as 
Japonica ;  it  differs  in  having  paler  flowers  than  the 
typical  Japonica  and  powdered  stems ;  moreover  it  is 
a  taller,  stronger  plant ;  it  blooms  in  late  spring  and  likes 
moist  soil.  Forresti  is  a  beautiful  orange-yellow  Chinese 
species  of  Polyanthus  habit,  blooming  in  spring,  and 
pleasantly  perfumed.  Malacoides  bears  its  pink  flowers 
in  spring  on  a  long,  loose  spike,  differing,  therefore,  from 
any  of  the  preceding ;  it  is  not  hardy,  and  should  be 
grown  under  glass  for  winter-blooming.  Littoniana 
(syn.  Viali)  produces  a  long  flower  stem,  and  with  the 
calyces  of  the  unexpanded  flowers  bright  red  it  is  pretty 
even  before  it  comes  into  full  bloom  ;  the  flowers  proper 


Photograph  :  Bees,  Ltd.,  Liverpool 
PRIMULA    LITTONIANA 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     115 

are  lilac  or  purple,  but  the  colour  is  variable  ;  a  singular 
effect  is  produced  when  some  of  the  flowers  are  open  and 
others  still  unexpanded,  as  there  is  a  remarkable  contrast 
of  colour.  Beesiana  resembles  Bulleyana  in  habit,  but 
has  purplish  magenta  flowers  with  yellow  eye.  Lichian- 
gensis  resembles  cortusoides,  of  which  it  is  perhaps  a 
variety ;  it  bears  heads  of  dull  purplish  red  flowers  on 
6-inch  stems. 

Many  of  the  most  important  Primulas  only  thrive 
to  perfection  in  damp,  cool  places  near  water.  What 
applies  to  rosea  and  Japonica  in  this  respect  applies 
equally  to  pulverulenta,  and  also  to  denticulata  and  its 
varieties.  The  smaller  Primulas  will  succeed  in  crevices 
of  the  rockwork,  but  none  cares  for  a  hot,  dry  site  with 
poor,  thin  soil.  For  such  positions  the  cheaper  coloured 
Primroses,  which  can  be  raised  in  quantity  from  seed 
or  by  division  after  flowering,  should  be  used,  and  if  they 
lack  special  interest  they  are  at  least  beautiful  plants. 
Special  ways  of  using  them  are  referred  to  in  the  chapter 
on  Bedding. 

In  raising  Primulas  from  seed  it  is  wise  to  sow  as  soon 
after  the  seed  ripens  as  possible,  in  order  to  get  fairly 
quick  germination.  Even  so  there  may  be  irregularities 
in  the  starting,  some  seeds  germinating  weeks  or  months 
after  the  others.  The  sowing  may  be  done  in  boxes  of 
loam,  leaf-mould  and  sand  in  pans  or  boxes,  which  should 
be  set  in  a  cool  frame.  Once  fairly  started  the  seedlings 
will  give  no  trouble  if  they  are  supplied  with  adequate 
moisture.  Seeds  gathered  or  bought  and  sown  in  early 
summer  will  yield  good  plants  for  the  next  year's 
flowering. 

PRUNELLA  (SELFHEAL).— Although  not  a  choice 
plant  Prunella  grandiflora  may  be  mentioned  as  worth  a 


n6  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

place  for  summer  blooming.  It  bears  its  Q-inch  spikes 
of  purplish  mauve  flowers  in  July.  There  are  white 
(alba)  and  red  (rubra)  varieties.  Ordinary  soil.  Propaga- 
tion by  division  in  spring. 

PULMONARIA  (LUNGWORT).— There  are  two  very 
pretty  varieties  of  angustifolia,  the  "  Blue  Cowslip  "  : 
azurea,  with  dark  blue,  and  rubra,  with  rosy  salmon 
flowers.  Late  spring  bloomers,  they  grow  six  to  nine 
inches  high.  Saccharata  is  a  distinct  species,  with  pink 
flowers  ;  the  leaves  spotted  with  white.  Ordinary  soil. 
Propagation  by  division  in  spring. 

RAMONDIA. — Pyrenaica  and  its  white  variety  are 
both  suitable  for  the  rock  garden  ;  there  is  also  a  rose 
form,  rosea. 

RANUNCULUS. — In  a  moist  spot  at  the  base  of  the 
rockery  several  of  the  Ranunculuses  may  be  grown, 
while  others,  notably  aconitifolius  flore  pleno  ("  Fair 
Maids  of  France  ")  and  acris  flore  pleno  ("  Bachelor's 
Buttons "),  are  good  for  the  border.  Amplexicaulis, 
white,  one  foot  high,  flowering  in  May ;  gramineus, 
slender,  grassy,  grey  leaf,  large  yellow  flowers  on  8-inch 
stems ;  parnassifolius,  white  flowers ;  and  montanus, 
yellow,  may  be  grown  in  the  cooler  parts  of  the  rockery. 

RHODODENDRON. — The  small  Alpine  species  are 
good  plants.  The  most  interesting  is  intricatum,  a  tiny 
plant  introduced  from  China  by  E.  H.  Wilson,  only 
growing  six  inches  high,  with  minute  leaves  and  small 
mauve  flowers.  Ferrugineum  is  the  Alpenrose,  and  has 
rosy  flowers  in  terminal  clusters ;  there  are  several 
varieties,  including  major,  large ;  alba,  white ;  and 
latifolium,  broad-leaved.  Hirsutum,  red  flowers,  is  the 
hairy  Alpenrose  ;  there  is  a  form  of  it  called  marginatum. 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     117 

Praecox,  lilac  flowers,  is  a  very  early  bloomer.    Wilsoni 
has  rose  flowers. 

SAPONARIA. — There  are  one  or  two  good  varieties  of 
oceymoides,  the  Rock  Soapwort,  notably  splendens. 

SAXIFRAGES. — When  one  surveys  the  long,  indeed 
almost  interminable,  list  of  species  in  the  genus  Saxifraga 
one  feels  disposed  to  say :  Here  at  least  there  must  be 
enough  material  to  satisfy  the  most  exacting  flower- 
lover,  and  the  hybridist  finds  no  encouragement  for  his 
operations.  There  is  no  limit,  however,  to  the  appetite 
of  plantsmen.  It  is  unsatiated  and  insatiable.  The 
general  rock  gardener  is  content  to  stop  when  his  col- 
lection embraces  all  the  best  species  of  the  principal 
genera,  but  behind  him  there  is  the  specialist,  whose 
interest  is  centred  in  one  genus  alone.  Given  a  flower- 
lover  whose  devotion  to  Saxifrages  is  as  ardent  and 
intense  as  that  of  another  is  for  Roses,  can  we  wonder 
that  even  a  list  of  two  hundred  species  is  not  enough  ? 
There  are,  at  a  moderate  computation,  two  thousand 
varieties  of  Roses  in  commerce,  but  amateurs  still  cry 
out  for  more;  and  so  the  cross-fertilizer  peers  among 
his  thousands  of  seedlings  year  by  year,  searching  for 
some  shade  of  difference  that  shall  justify  the  distribu- 
tion of  certain  varieties  as  novelties.  That  extension  of 
specialization  which  has  led  to  such  extraordinary  de- 
velopments in  Sweet  Peas,  Carnations  and  other  popular 
flowers  may  be  expected  to  embrace  all  the  principal 
genera  of  Alpines  now  that  the  culture  of  rock  plants  has 
become  so  popular.  While  the  intrepid  travellers  of  the 
great  nurserymen  ransack  the  distant  places  of  the  earth 
for  species  unknown  to  commerce,  patient  hybridists 
will  work  in  quiet  garden  places  on  the  species  which  we 
already  have,  crossing  and  intercrossing,  mating  variety 


n8  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

with  variety  as  well  as  species  with  species,  and  bringing 
into  existence  thousands  of  seedlings,  in  the  hope  that 
among  them  may  be  found  distinct  and  beautiful  kinds, 
worthy  of  being  preserved,  increased  and  distributed 
among  specialists.  And  if  this  process  may  be  expected 
in  nearly  every  popular  hardy  plant  most  of  all  may  it  be 
expected  in  Saxifrages,  which  are  beyond  question  the 
most  important  of  all  the  Alpine  genera.  The  large 
number  of  beautiful  species,  the  charm  of  the  foliage  not 
less  than  of  the  flowers,  the  great  diversity  in  structure 
and  habit  of  the  various  kinds,  the  exquisite  grace  of  the 
lovely  blossoms,  combine  to  place  them  at  the  head  of 
the  rock  plants.  There  are  flowers  more  brilliant,  but 
none  more  refined.  Whoever  possesses  a  collection  of 
Saxifrages  has  a  mine  of  interest  and  pleasure.  They 
begin  blooming  directly  winter  has  relaxed  its  grip,  and 
there  are  species  in  beauty  until  midsummer.  The  Saxi- 
frages comprise  upwards  of  two  hundred  species,  with  a 
very  wide  geographical  distribution.  Some  are  natives 
of  the  higher  Alps,  others  of  Britain.  Species  are  found 
in  eastern  Europe,  in  the  Pyrenees,  in  North  Africa,  in 
Japan,  in  India,  in  North  and  South  America,  in  the 
Tyrol,  in  the  Himalayas  and  in  the  Arctic  circle.  The 
majority  are  low  growers,  but  there  is  a  section  with 
quite  a  cabbage-like  vigour  and  habit.  Even  among  the 
smaller  Saxifrages  there  is  great  diversity  of  structure. 
There  is  a  large  class  of  moss-like  growth,  and  an  equally 
large  one  which  produces  leaves  in  flattish  rosettes  ;  the 
London  pride  section  differs  from  both,  having  a  taller, 
looser  habit  and  bloom  in  long,  loose  sprays.  The  most 
remarkable  of  the  modern  hybrids  belong  to  the  mossy 
section,  and  one  of  the  parents  is  decipiens,  a  species 
that  is  a  native  of  Wales  and  blooms  in  spring.  Of  the 
beautiful  forms  owing  parentage  to  this  species  may  be 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     119 

mentioned  the  following  :  Arkwrightii,  a  splendid  variety, 
bearing  white  flowers  an  inch  across  on  strong,  branched 
stems  about  six  inches  high ;  those  who  are  familiar 
with  the  splendid  Rockfoil  variously  known  as  Camposi 
and  Wallacei  may  compare  Arkwrightii,  and  will  find  that 
the  growth  is  more  vigorous  and  the  flowers  larger. 
Bakeri  is  a  crimson,  the  colour  softening  to  rose  with 
age  ;  smaller  than  those  of  Arkwrightii,  they  are  never- 
theless of  good  size  ;  the  height  is  about  six  inches. 
Codsall  Cream  is  charming  owing  to  the  bright  colour  of 
the  buds,  which  are  red  ;  the  expanded  flowers  are  rose, 
growing  paler  with  age  ;  height  one  foot.  H.  S.  Stokes, 
bright  red,  softening  to  rose,  is  of  low  growth,  only  grow- 
ing about  four  inches  high.  Lady  Deane  is  a  white,  with 
flowers  almost  as  large  as  those  of  Arkwrightii.  Miss 
Willmott  is  an  exquisitely  beautiful  form,  with  white 
flowers,  blotched  with  chocolate,  on  branching  stems 
six  inches  high.  Mrs.  R.  C.  Donaldson  Hudson  is  bright 
crimson,  height  eight  inches.  Red  Admiral  is  perhaps 
the  deepest  of  all  in  colour,  a  rich  crimson,  the  flowers 
being  borne  on  red  branching  stems,  height  six  inches. 
R.  W.  Hosier  is  one  of  the  best,  having  large  bright  red 
flowers  on  stems  about  eight  inches  high.  The  foregoing 
were  all  introduced  by  Bakers  of  Wolverhampton, 
England.  Red  Admiral  was  raised,  however,  by  Mrs. 
Lloyd  Edwards,  Llangollen,  Wales.  They  do  not  com- 
prise all  the  forms  of  decipiens  which  are  worthy  of 
attention.  Bathoniensis  is  a  good  bright  red ;  and 
villosum,  which  forms  grey-green  tufts  and  has  white 
flowers  on  six-inch  stems,  is  worth  growing.  Guildford 
Seedling  has  bright  red  flowers  and  is  a  popular  form. 
These  new  mossy  Saxifrages  are  spring  bloomers,  and 
are  among  the  most  beautiful  occupants  of  the  rock 
garden  in  May.  If  means  permit,  six  to  a  dozen  plants  of 


120  THE  NEW  GARDENING 

each  should  be  set  in  a  small  colony  among  the  stones, 
where  they  will  make  bright  and  sparkling  masses  of 
bloom. 

One  of  the  most  exquisitely  beautiful  of  the  Saxifrages 
is  Boydi,  a  hybrid  raised  from  the  Swiss  species  aretioides, 
which  has  yellow  flowers  ;  and  Burseriana,  a  species 
with  cream  flowers  from  Carniola.  Boydi  bears  its  leaves 
in  rosettes,  and  is  covered  in  spring  with  a  multitude  of 
bright  yellow  flowers  on  stems  about  four  inches  high. 
It  is  a  most  precious  little  plant,  which  the  Alpine  lover 
will  do  well  to  find  a  place  for.  A  white  form,  called 
Boydi  alba,  is  available,  and  is  pretty,  but, there  is  a  good 
number  of  white  Rockfoils.  Boydi  crossed  back  with 
one  of  its  parents,  Burseriana,  has  given  the  sub-hybrid 
Faldonside,  which  has  large  cream  flowers.  The  Boydi 
set  bloom  in  the  spring,  and  form  a  choice  little  assort- 
ment of  dainty  Saxifrages.  Among  the  other  special 
forms  of  Rockfoil  may  be  mentioned  oppositifolia  W.  A. 
Clark,  a  reddish  mauve  variety  of  very  deep  rich  colour. 
The  species  itself  is  British,  and  has  purple  flowers  in 
spring  ;  but  it  is  generally  represented  in  gardens  by  the 
larger  variety  major.  Macnabiana  crossed  with  lantos- 
cana  superba  has  given  the  beautiful  hybrid  Dr.  Ramsay, 
an  encrusted  form  which  produces  a  large  spray  of  white 
flowers  dotted  with  rose  in  spring.  Of  the  parents, 
lantoscana  is  a  species  from  the  maritime  Alps,  with 
creamy  flowers  ;  but  to  keep  in  line  with  modern  botanists 
it  should  be  described  as  a  form  of  lingulata.  Macnabiana 
is  probably  a  hybrid.  Moschata  is  a  little -known 
Pyrenean  species,  and  Stormont's  variety,  with  pink 
flowers  on  stems  about  four  inches  high,  may  represent 
it  in  gardens.  These  modern  Saxifrages  love  the  free  air, 
and  to  get  the  vivid  and  sparkling  colours  at  their  richest 
it  is  necessary  to  plant  them  out  and  give  no  protection 


Photograph:  Bees,  Ltd.,  Liverpool 
PRIMULA     FORRESTI 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS  121 

whatever.  They  are  entirely  hardy.  One  finds  that  the 
mossy  varieties  are  liable  to  collapse  if  planted  in  flaky 
soil  on  a  sunny  site,  and  it  is  wise  to  give  them  cool  places 
among  stones.  They  are  easily  propagated  by  seeds, 
but  if  it  is  desired  to  increase  good  named  varieties  and 
keep  them  true  it  is  best  to  propagate  by  division  in  spring. 
A  brief  glance  must  be  given  at  the  older  species.  In 
the  encrusted  section  we  find  aizoon  and  its  varieties, 
such  as  atropurpurea  major,  roseus  and  rosularis ; 
Balcana,  a  dainty  kind,  with  sprays  of  white  blossom 
dotted  with  rose  ;  cochlearis,  which  forms  pretty  cushions 
of  grey  foliage  and  bears  white  flowers  in  July  ;  cotyledon 
pyramidalis,  with  beautiful  white  plumes ;  crustata, 
white,  dotted  with  red ;  Grisebachii,  long  red  spike 
in  late  spring,  a  precious  plant ;  Hostii,  with  blossom  in 
graceful  sprays  ;  lingulata  superba,  long  spikes  of  white 
flowers ;  longifolia,  lovely  white  plumes ;  Macnabiana, 
white,  spotted  with  crimson ;  mutata,  coppery ;  and 
Valdensis,  with  silvery  rosettes  and  sprays  of  white  bloom. 
In  the  mossy  class  we  have  Camposi  ( Wallacei) ,  one  of  the 
largest  and  best ;  the  varieties  of  decipiens  already 
mentioned ;  globosa,  white  starry  flowers ;  hypnoides 
and  its  variegated  form ;  Rhei,  a  charming  species  with 
rosy  flowers ;  serratifolia,  white ;  and  trifurcata,  the 
Stag's-head  Saxifrage.  Other  pretty  and  interesting 
kinds  are  Andrewsii,  white  with  pink  spots,  encrusted ; 
apiculata,  greenish  cream,  moss-like,  very  early  in  bloom, 
small  dark  green  rosettes  and  white  flowers  ;  Burseriana, 
white,  red  stems,  and  its  variety  major,  large  white  ; 
Elizabethae,  a  charming  yellow  with  rosettes  of  leaves  ; 
Geum,  of  the  umbrosa  (London  Pride)  type  ;  granulata 
flore  pleno,  double  white  ;  irrigua,  white,  leaves  in  grey 
rosettes;  Juniperifolia  ( Juniperina) ,  yellow  flowers; 
L.  G.  Godseff,  hybrid  (sanctax  Burseriana  speciosa), 


122  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

yellow  flowers  on  red  stems  ;  oppositifolia,  deep  rose, 
and  variety  major ;  Paulinae,  yellow ;  Petrarchi,  round 
white  flowers,  foliage  in  rosettes ;  pedatifida,  white 
flowers,  leaves  in  green  rosettes ;  Rocheliana,  white, 
tufty  ;  sancta,  deep  yellow,  a  summer  bloomer  ;  scardica 
obtusa,  white,  leaves  in  tufty  cushions,  and  umbrosa, 
with  its  variegated  form.  One  of  the  best  of  the  lingulata 
or  Megasea  section,  which  are  strong  growers  with  suc- 
culent foliage,  is  Stracheyi  alba  (syn.  afghanica),  which 
produces  splendid  trusses  of  pure  white  bloom.  Cordi- 
folia,  rose,  and  its  variety  purpurea,  purple,  are  good. 
A  collection  of  Saxifrages  comprising  most  of  the  above 
will  be  fairly  representative  of  this  large  and  beautiful 
genus. 

SEDUM  (STONECROP). — This  genus  is  not  remarkable 
for  the  beauty  of  its  members,  and  were  it  not  that  they 
thrive  under  conditions  which  few  other  plants  would 
tolerate  they  might  be  neglected.  As  it  is,  they  are 
accepted  as  important  plants.  It  can  be  said  of  few 
plants  of  any  merit  that  they  may  be  planted  on  a  hot, 
dry  bank  of  poor  soil  in  spring  with  the  confidence  of  their 
thriving  even  if  a  parching  summer  follows.  This  the 
Sedums  will  do,  spreading  into  broad,  dense  masses. 
Novelties  do  not  come  rapidly,  and  having  acknowledged 
the  value  of  the  genus,  and  indicated  a  use  for  it,  we  may 
leave  it  with  the  mention  of  a  few  of  the  best  kinds, 
namely,  acre  and  its  varieties,  of  which  aureum,  with  a 
yellow  tinge  on  the  foliage,  is  the  most  popular ;  album, 
white-flowered,  and  its  variety  brevifolium  ;  cseruleum, 
blue ;  Ewersii,  pink,  and  its  variety  Turkestanicum, 
red ;  glaucum,  white ;  hybridum,  yellow ;  Japonicum, 
yellow,  and  its  variegated  form  ;  Kamtschaticum,  yellow, 
and  its  variegated  form  ;  lydium,  pink  ;  Middendorffi- 


NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  ROCK  PLANTS     123 

anum,  yellow ;  reflexum,  yellow ;  Sieboldii,  pink,  and  its 
variegated  form  ;  spectabile,  pink,  a  useful  border  plant ; 
and  rupestre  monstrosum,  the  Cockscomb  Stonecrop, 
remarkable  for  its  twisted  foliage. 

SEMPERVIVUM  (HOUSELEEK).— Practically  the  same 
remarks  apply  to  this  genus.  Like  the  Stonecrops,  the 
Houseleeks  thrive  in  hot,  dry  places.  The  habit  is 
singular  and  interesting.  Arachnoideum  is  curiously 
webbed,  and  hence  its  name  of  the  Cobweb  Houseleek  ; 
Laggeri  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  forms.  Globiferus,  yellow, 
has  green  rosettes.  Tabulaeforme  and  its  variegated  form 
are  flat ;  they  are  not  hardy,  but  are  often  used  in  carpet 
bedding  and  for  edgings.  Others  are  arenarium,  barbatum, 
Boutignyanum,  Funckii,  glaucum,  purpureum,  Tectorum 
and  variety  Reginae  Amaliae,  and  tristae. 

SHORTIA. — Charming  little  plants,  of  which  galacifolia, 
with  white  flowers  in  spring,  and  uniflora,  with  rose 
flowers  in  spring,  are  grown  ;  the  latter  has  a  large  form 
called  grandiflora ;  it  is  somewhat  of  a  rarity  which  is 
worth  the  attention  of  flower-lovers.  The  Shortias  like 
peat  and  loam.  Propagation  by  offsets  after  flowering. 

SCHIZOCODON  SOLDANELLIOIDES  is  a  lovely  little  plant 
allied  to  the  Shortias,  and  responding  to  the  same  treat- 
ment. It  only  grows  two  or  three  inches  high,  and  the 
pink  flowers,  which  come  in  spring,  are  prettily  fringed.  A 
mass  of  this  charming  rockery  gem  is  a  rare  and  lovely 
sight. 

SILENE  (CATCHFLY).— Acaulis,  pink,  and  its  white 
and  double  varieties,  alba  and  plena ;  alpestris,  white  ; 
Saxifraga,  white ;  and  Schafta,  rose,  are  well-known 
plants,  low  and  dense  in  habit,  and  free-blooming.  There 
is  one  novelty  in  the  genus,  and  that  is  laciniata  Purpusii, 


i24  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

which  has  scarlet,  deeply  cut  flowers  on  8-inch  stems 
in  summer.  Light  sandy  loam  suits.  Propagation  by 
spring  division. 

SISYRINCHIUM  GRANDIFLORUM,  with  grassy  leaves 
and  mauve  flowers  in  spring,  is  a  pretty  plant  which 
thrives  in  loam  and  peat.  Filifolium  is  a  rare  species 
with  grassy  foliage  and  white,  bell-shaped  flowers. 
Propagation  by  seeds  and  offsets. 

SOLDANELLA.— Exquisite  little  gems.  Alpina,  blue  ; 
and  montana,  mauve,  are  both  charming  spring  bloomers, 
with  fringed,  bell-shaped  flowers.  Clusii,  with  dusky 
mauve  flowers  and  Cyclamen-like  leaves,  is  sometimes 
seen.  They  like  loam  and  peat,  in  a  cool,  shady  position. 
Alpina  is  easily  injured  by  heavy  winter  rains,  however, 
and  is  best  protected  with  glass.  Propagation  by  seeds 
and  division  after  flowering. 

TUNICA  SAXIFRAGA.— There  are  two  new  double 
varieties  of  this  useful  plant,  namely,  flore  pleno,  with 
pink  flowers,  and  alba  plena,  double  white. 

VIOLAS. — The  cross-bred  forms  called  Tufted  Pansies 
are  the  most  popular  (see  Bedding) ,  but  one  or  two  of  the 
Alpine  species  are  grown  for  the  rockery,  notably  gracilis, 
with  bright  purple  flowers.  Chaerophylloides  is  a  new 
Japanese  species  with  pink  flowers. 


Photograph  :  James  Carter  &  Co.,  Raynes  Park 
VIOLAS 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE   NEW   BEDDING 

"  BEDDING  "  is  an  ominous  word  in  connection  with 
gardening.  It  conjures  up  visions  of  bare  earth  for  six 
months  and  a  violent  glare  for  the  other  half  of  the  year. 
I  want  to  show,  however,  that  bedding  may  be  made  a 
delightful  and  interesting  phase  of  flower-gardening ; 
and  that  it  can  be  done  in  such  a  way  as  to  add  great 
beauty  and  refinement  to  a  garden. 

In  discussing  herbaceous  borders  I  have  pointed  out 
how,  in  many  cases,  they  are  entirely  devoid  of  beauty 
for  several  months.  A  border  which  is  composed  of 
herbaceous  plants  alone — that  is,  plants  which  lose  their 
leaves  and  stems  in  the  fall — has  little  or  no  bloom  from 
November  to  May.  This  is  very  spiritless  flower-garden- 
ing. There  is  no  enterprise,  no  thoroughness  about  it. 

It  is  because  the  herbaceous  border  'per  se  is  so  long 
colourless  that  I  have  advocated  putting  trees,  shrubs, 
bulbs  and  Wallflowers  into  it,  mainly  for  winter  warmth 
and  spring  colour.  In  effect,  "  bedding  "  practice,  as 
we  generally  understand  it,  is  introduced  to  the  borders. 

But  if  the  bedding  principle  can  strengthen  the  border, 
can  it  not  stand  by  itself  ?  Is  it  not  worthy  of  con- 
sideration for  special  positions  in  gardens  ?  There  are 
surely  many  gardens,  large  and  small,  where  an  isolated 
block  of  colour  is  desirable. 

Let  us  refuse  to  admit  that  the  day  of  the  flower-bed 

125 


126  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

is  past.  Modernized  bedding  has  a  great  part  to  play. 
The  monotonous  expanse  of  large  lawns  can  often  be 
broken  with  advantage  by  flower-beds,  and  the  amateur 
who  has  to  garden  in  restricted  areas  in  or  near  towns 
will  often  find  that  he  can  practise  flower-gardening 
more  successfully  in  beds  than  in  borders  under  walls  and 
fences. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  I  do  not  advocate 
a  revival  of  the  old  style  of  bedding.  Flaming  breadths 
of  Zonal  Geraniums  and  mosaics  of  coloured-leafed 
carpeting  plants  are  equally  things  of  the  past.  They 
constitute  the  "  penny-dreadfulism  "  of  gardening.  They 
held  sway  just  as  long  as  a  cultured  public  for  flower- 
gardening  was  lacking.  With  the  birth  of  an  educated 
opinion  they  were  I  can  hardly  say  extinguished,  in  view 
of  what  I  see  and  hear,  but  at  least  relegated  to  a 
subordinate  place. 

The  "  new  bedding "  does  not  limit  itself  to  the 
elementary  duty  of  putting  Hyacinths  into  a  bed  in 
October,  and  turning  them  out  to  make  way  for  Geraniums 
in  May.  It  plays  a  broader  part.  It  provides  a  greater 
variety  of  material,  and  utilizes  it  in  a  more  tasteful  way. 
One  of  its  cardinal  principles  is  to  reduce  the  area  of 
bare  earth  to  a  minimum.  Another  is  to  bring  different 
plants  into  combination  in  tasteful  and  pleasing  ways. 

It  is  now  my  purpose  to  show  how  beautiful  beds  may 
be  arranged  so  as  to  give  a  display  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  year,  and  at  a  comparatively  small  expenditure  of 
money  and  labour. 

Has  the  reader  contemplated  those  charming  little 
flowers,  the  ennobled  double  Daisies,  and  reflected  on 
their  suitability  for  planting  as  a  groundwork  to  Tulips 
in  autumn  ?  These  modest  but  beautiful  Daisies  are 
green  all  the  winter.  They  are  compact,  and  they  bloom 


THE   NEW  BEDDING  127 

profusely  in  late  spring,  when  the  May  Tulips  are  in  their 
glory.  Let  us  carpet  a  bed  with  Daisies  in  autumn, 
putting  the  plants  nine  inches  apart,  and  set  the  Tulips 
between  them,  just  to  see  how  we  shall  like  the  effect. 
We  will  try  a  little  colour-blending.  We  can  plant  the 
exquisite  little  pink  Daisy  Alice  in  association  with  the 
rose  Tulip  Norma,  or  the  pink  Calypso,  or  the  white 
variety  with  rose  exterior,  Massenet.  We  can  associate 
the  white  Daisy  Snowflake  with  the  dusky  Tulip  La 
Tulipe  Noire. 

Or,  leaving  the  Daisies  out,  we  can  bed  the  magnificent 
yellow  Tulip  Bouton  d'or  on  mauve  Aubrietia  and  white 
Iberis  semper virens,  planting  Violas  (tufted  Pansies)  be- 
tween the  Tulips  for  summer  bloom.  By  both  of  these 
plans  we  get  spring  beauty  without  winter  bareness. 

And  we  have  in  reserve  for  autumn  planting,  with  or 
without  bulbs,  the  coloured  hybrid  Primroses  and  Poly- 
anthuses. Hundreds  of  these  lovely  flowers  of  the  finest 
quality  can  be  raised  by  any  amateur  from  a  shilling 
packet  of  seed  if  he  will  follow  the  simple  plan  of  sowing 
in  a  box  of  sandy  soil  in  his  greenhouse  or  frame  in 
February,  and  planting  out  in  a  spare  bed  in  a  cool  but 
airy  situation  in  June  ;  or,  failing  a  house,  by  buying 
seedlings  for  planting  at  that  time.  I  will  suggest  two 
special  ways  of  using  the  plants  :  (i)  plant  cream  and 
yellow  Polyanthuses  as  a  groundwork  for  white,  yellow 
or  orange  May-blooming  Tulips,  such  as  La  Candeur, 
Gesneriana  lutea  and  Walter  T.  Ware  ;  (2)  plant  a  bed 
with  cream  Primroses,  and  set  among  them  bulbs  of 
Narcissus  albicans,  an  inexpensive  variety  with  a  white 
perianth  and  a  long  trumpet  which  opens  primrose  and 
passes  to  white,  prettily  recurved.  An  exquisite  colour 
harmony  is  thus  produced  in  March,  and  after  the 
Daffodils  are  over  the  Primroses  continue  to  improve 


128  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

and  attain  their  full  beauty  in  May  ;  if  the  seed  pods 
are  picked  off  directly  the  flowers  fade  they  are  in  bloom 
well  into  the  summer. 

These  beautiful  Polyanthuses  and  Primroses  also 
form  a  charming  groundwork  for  Rose  beds. 

One  of  the  cheapest  and  simplest  of  groundworks  for 
Tulips  is  the  common  Virginian  Stock,  and  those  who 
try  sowing  it  early  in  September  in  a  bed  planted,  or  to 
be  planted  in  autumn,  with  a  heliotrope,  purple  or  lilac 
Tulip,  such  as  Erguste,  Fra  Angelica  or  Rev.  H.  Ewbank, 
will  be  delighted  with  the  beautiful  harmony  created. 

Flower-gardeners  who  love  to  have  bold  harmonies  of 
colour  in  late  spring  are  paying  particular  attention  to 
the  hybrid  Azaleas,  owing  parentage  to  the  species  mollis 
and  sinensis,  of  which  several  splendid  comparatively 
new  varieties  are  available.  I  would  instance  Floradora, 
salmon  ;  Anthony  Koster,  rich  yellow  ;  Prince  of  Orange, 
brilliant  orange  ;  Duchess  of  Portland,  cream  and  rose  ; 
Betsy  de  Bruin,  yellow,  crested  with  orange  ;  and  Presi- 
dent Oswald  de  Kerchove,  salmon.  These  are  hardy, 
and  make  exquisite  breaks  of  colour,  reminding  one  of 
sunset  skies  and  ripening  cornfields.  They  form  per- 
manent beds,  and  will  thrive  in  loamy  soil,  but  they  like 
peat.  A  groundwork  of  Primroses  may  be  set  among 
them  if  desired,  preferably  cream  and  yellow  shades,  to 
be  followed  by  an  orange  or  vermilion  Snapdragon,  like 
Vesuvius,  for  summer  and  autumn  bloom.  Such  a  bed 
of  Azaleas  looks  beautiful  on  a  lawn. 

With  the  Azaleas  may  be  associated,  if  the  flower- 
lover  so  wills  it,  Lilies.  There  is  no  better  place  for  the 
beautiful  auratum  and  other  fine  Liliums  referred  to  in 
chapter  iv.  than  the  Azalea  bed,  for  the  plants  benefit 
by  the  shelter  which  they  receive  when  the  tender  young 
growths  are  springing  up  in  May.  The  stately  L.  gigan- 


THE   NEW  BEDDING  129 

teum,  even,  may  be  put  there  if  no  situation  with  more 
complete  shelter  can  be  found.  Nearly  all  the  Lilies 
love  the  loam  and  peat  of  the  Azalea  compost,  and  their 
splendid  flowers  make  the  bed  beautiful  when  the  principal 
occupants  are  over  for  the  season. 

The  tuberous  Begonia  does  not  make  rapid  progress 
as  a  bedding  plant,  and  I  cannot  recommend  it  for  dry 
districts.  In  moist  places,  however,  it  has  claims  to 
recognition,  and  we  have  to  remember  that  a  few  tubers 
need  only  be  bedded  in  moist  cocoanut  fibre  refuse  in 
spring  to  provide  a  reserve  of  plants  that  are  ready  for 
transference  to  the  garden  at  any  convenient  moment  in 
June  or  July.  This  is  an  advantage  that  should  not  be 
overlooked.  If  the  Begonia  reserve  is  not  wanted  for 
the  garden  it  can  be  potted  and  used  for  the  greenhouse 
or  conservatory,  although  if  the  Begonia-lover  makes 
pot-culture  a  special  feature  he  may  prefer  to  grow 
modern  varieties  like  Mary  Gwillim,  double  yellow ; 
Lady  Cromer,  double  blush  ;  Hon.  Mrs.  M.  Glyn,  double 
salmon ;  John  Peed,  double  salmon-pink ;  and  Mrs. 
J.  C.  Gwillim,  double  vermilion,  which  represent  the 
highest  standard  yet  attained  in  tuberous  Begonias. 

Carnation-lovers  who  bed  their  favourite  plant  rarely 
attempt  any  intermixture  ;  and,  indeed,  the  fact  that 
the  Carnation  is  evergreen,  or  rather  ever-silvery,  guards 
against  soil  bareness.  Moreover,  the  Carnation  throws 
out  a  number  of  runners,  which  have  to  be  slit  and 
pegged  down  in  summer  to  get  fresh  stock,  and  this 
makes  inter-planting  inconvenient.  The  beauty  of  the 
Carnation  as  a  bedder  is  spoken  of  in  chapter  x.,  where 
some  good  modern  varieties  are  named. 

In  connection  with  Carnations  I  would  mention  the 
beautiful  modern  Pink  called  Progress,  rosy  mauve  in 
colour,  with  strong  erect  stems,  freely  branched,  and 


130  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

nearly  two  feet  high ;  it  is  quite  Carnation-like  in  habit 
and  a  most  beautiful  plant.  I  might  also  name  the  Pinks 
Delight,  blush  ;  Delicata,  rose  ;  and  Gloriosa,  rich  pink  ; 
although  dwarfer  and  more  truly  Pink-like  than  Progress 
they  are  desirable  plants. 

The  remarks  made  about  tuberous  Begonias  apply 
substantially  to  Cannas,  which  are  only  worth  growing 
as  bedding  plants  for  colour  effect  in  deep,  rich,  moist 
soil,  but  in  such  a  medium  become  really  important, 
owing  to  their  long  spikes  of  brilliant  flowers  and  abund- 
ance of  broad,  beautifully  tinted  foliage. 

The  Calceolaria,  once  an  indispensable  component  of 
flower-borders,  but  long  neglected,  has  undergone  a 
revival  with  the  introduction  of  large,  brilliant  yellow 
hybrids,  such  as  Golden  Glory,  Golden  Queen  and 
Clibrani.  The  two  first  are  hardy.  The  last,  whether 
hardy  or  not,  is  most  valued  as  a  greenhouse  plant  for 
winter  and  spring  bloom.  I  confess  that  even  with  such 
fine  forms  as  these  I  am  not  enamoured  of  the  Calceolaria 
as  a  garden  plant.  It  is  garish,  and  is  very  subject  to 
disease,  which  is  not  to  be  kept  under  by  such  a  simple 
device  as  early-spring  planting,  as  some  of  its  advocates 
would  have  us  believe. 

Those  who  want  a  dwarf  bed  of  blue,  nearly  as  brilliant 
as  Salvia  patens,  and  with  the  advantage  of  perfect  hardi- 
ness, may  use  Delphinium  Blue  Butterfly  as  a  biennial. 
It  is  very  useful  treated  as  a  hardy  annual,  that  is,  sown 
in  spring  to  flower  the  same  summer,  which  it  does, 
brightly  and  freely,  at  a  height  of  about  nine  inches. 
Sown  later,  say  in  June,  to  stand  the  winter  and  bloom 
the  second  season,  it  makes  a  much  finer  plant,  growing 
three  times  the  size  and  making  a  mass  of  blue  in  July. 

An  idea  for  a  bed  in  orange,  brown  and  gold  that  may 
be  new  to  some  gardeners  is  the  association  of  Mont- 


Photograph  :  Webb  <£•  Sows,  \Vordsley 
A     MODERN     DOUBLE     BEGONIA 


THE   NEW  BEDDING  131 

bretias  and  Gaillardias,  and  the  flowers  of  these  plants 
may  be  blended  in  a  vase  or  bowl  with  dark  Barberry 
foliage.  A  rich  and  beautiful  harmony  is  produced  in 
the  garden  by  putting  the  two  first-named  plants  to- 
gether. Both  are  cheap,  both  are  hardy,  both  grow  in 
almost  any  soil. 

A  lovely  margin  may  be  made  to  a  bed  by  laying  down 
some  flat  stones,  planting  one  of  the  pretty  Grape  and 
Feather  Hyacinths,  such  as  the  exquisite  blue  Muscari 
azureus  Freyniana,  between  the  stones  (bulbs  can  be 
bought  cheaply  in  the  fall),  and  carpeting  with  one  of 
the  mossy  Saxifrages ;  the  common  hypnoides  will  do 
as  well  as  any,  but  the  Saxifraga-lover  will  want  a 
choicer  sort.  The  Muscari  blooms  in  February. 

The  want  of  a  graceful,  fern-like  plant  to  associate 
with  flowers  in  a  bed  is  sometimes  felt.  There  is  such  a 
plant,  but  it  is  little  known  except  to  the  gardeners  in 
the  large  parks,  who  grow  it  under  the  name  of  Oreocome 
Candollei ;  the  proper  botanical  name,  however,  is 
Selinum  tenuifolium.  It  is  a  most  beautiful  plant,  but 
it  is  not  hardy,  and  those  who  use  it  must  winter  it  under 
glass. 

A  bed  of  remarkable  beauty  and  originality  may  be 
made  by  planting  the  little-known  but  lovely  Tamarisk, 
Tamarix  hispida  aestivalis,  in  association  with  Liliums 
umbellatum  and  tigrinum.  The  Tamarisk  produces 
abundance  of  graceful  green  foliage  and  lovely  plumes 
of  mauve  flowers  if  pruned  hard  every  spring. 

A  few  other  ideas  for  spring  beds  may  be  given : 

(i)  Tulip  White  Swan  and  Forget-me-not  Royal  Blue. 
The  Tulip  belongs  to  the  early  Dutch  section,  but  it  is 
one  of  the  latest  of  them  to  bloom,  and  one  of  the  most 
lasting  ;  the  flowers  are  of  beautiful  form.  The  variety 
of  Forget-me-not  is  distinguished  by  good  habit  and 


132  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

very  rich  colour  ;  it  can  be  raised  from  seed  in  June  and 
planted  eighteen  inches  apart  in  October,  with  the  Tulips 
between. 

(2)  The  Lyre  Flower,  Dielytra  or  Dicentra  spectabilis, 
with  Forget-me-not  Royal  Blue.    The  Lyre  Flower  is  a 
most  graceful  plant,   with  long  arched  stems  of  pink 
flowers  ;    it  is  hardy  except  in  very  exposed  places,  but 
does  not  like  strong,  cold  winds.    Roots  may  be  planted 
two  feet  apart  in  autumn. 

(3)  The  Campernelle  Narcissus  rugulosus  and  Forget- 
me-nots.      The  Narcissus  named  is  small-flowered,  but 
very  strong,  free-blooming,  bright  and  lasting. 

(4)  The   same   Narcissus   mixed   with   the   fine   blue 
Hyacinth  Grand  Maitre  over  a  groundwork  of  Yellow 
Polyanthuses. 

(5)  Narcissus    Sir   Watkin    interplanted    with   yellow 
Wallflowers. 

(6)  A   pink    Hyacinth  on  a  groundwork    of    double 
white  Arabis.     The  latter  can  be  raised  from  cuttings  in 
summer. 

(7)  The  orange-coloured  Tulip  Thomas  Moore  mixed 
with  Wallflower  Eastern   Queen  on  a  groundwork   of 
orange,  yellow  and  cream  Polyanthuses. 

(8)  Tulip  Pink  Beauty  on  a  groundwork  of  double 
Arabis. 

The  old  style  bedder  was  always  fearful  of  the  spring 
bedding  lasting  so  long  as  to  delay  the  planting  of  his 
precious  Geraniums ;  everything  had  to  give  way  to 
them.  The  modern  bedder  has  no  such  fears.  If  the 
May  Tulips,  Wallflowers,  Polyanthuses,  Forget-me-nots 
and  Aubrietias  last  into  June  he  is  not  perturbed,  for 
his  reserve  stock  of  various  good  annuals  such  as  Asters, 
Nemesias  and  Salpiglossis,  also  of  Pentstemons,  Begonias, 
Tobaccos  and  Snapdragons,  keeps  him  confident.  The 


Photograph:  Bakers,  Wolverhtimfiton 
PRIMULA     PULVERULENTA 


THE   NEW  BEDDING  133 

worst  that  he  has  to  fear  is  a  little  extra  labour  in  water- 
ing should  a  hot  summer  set  in  early. 

Bedding  schemes  much  more  elaborate  than  any 
mentioned  here  are  seen  in  the  public  gardens,  and  an 
idea  for  a  beautiful  bed  can  often  be  jotted  down.  But 
it  often  happens  that  note-taking  reveals  a  greater 
variety  of  plants  than  the  amateur  can  control.  More- 
over, many  of  the  perennial  plants  used  for  bedding  in 
state  places  are  tender  and  need  large  houses  in  winter. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   NEW   ROSE-GROWING 

EVERYTHING  makes  for  freedom  in  modern  Rose-growing. 
The  old  stiff  bed  system  is  passing  away  ;  except  in  the 
gardens  of  exhibitors.  We  see  banks  covered  with  the 
abundant  glossy  foliage  and  brilliant  flowers  of  the 
Wichuraianas,  huge  bushes  of  the  splendid  rugosa  in 
separate  groups,  and  rustic  divisions  covered  with  a  riot 
of  ramblers. 

The  more  freely  and  naturally  Roses  are  grown  the 
greater  the  demand  for  plants,  because  people  learn  uses 
for  the  Queen  of  Flowers  which  they  had  not  thought  of 
before.  Even  now  it  comes  as  a  surprise  to  some  Rose- 
lovers  to  be  told  that  a  waste  bank  carrying  nothing 
more  interesting  than  rough,  coarse  grass  could  be  made 
beautiful  with  ground  Roses.  The  wall,  the  arch,  the 
pillar,  the  pergola  they  can  realize,  but  the  bank  puzzles 
them. 

No  class  of  Roses  has  grown  more  rapidly  in  recent 
years  than  the  Memorial  Roses.  They  have  sprung  from 
the  Japanese  species  Wichuraiana,  which  has  single 
white  flowers,  but  many  of  them  are  hybrids,  or  rather 
sub-hybrids,  having  a  Hybrid  Perpetual  for  one  of  the 
parents.  Raisers  in  America,  France  and  Germany  have 
all  produced  beautiful  forms. 

Let  me  tell  of  a  collection  of  these  Roses  covering  a 
bank  in  a  large  garden  which  I  know — shrouding  it  in  a 


THE   NEW   ROSE-GROWING         135 

dense  mantle  of  glossy  green  leaves  and  many-coloured 
flowers,  and  so  making  it  one  of  the  greatest  beauty  spots 
in  a  garden  wholly  beautiful.  The  Roses  are  planted 
four  feet  apart.  As  the  summer  shoots  ramble  fifteen 
and  even  twenty  feet  in  a  season  this  seems  too  close, 
but  in  reality  it  is  not  so,  as  a  good  thicket  is  wanted 
near  the  centre.  At  this  point  many  short  flowering 
shoots  spring  up  like  suckers.  Of  course  the  growth  of 
the  different  varieties  intermingles.  No  pruning  is  done 
except  to  reduce  the  old  wood.  Practically  the  Roses 
look  after  themselves. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  best  varieties  in  this 
beautiful  collection  :  Alberic  Barbier,  cream  ;  Auguste 
Barbier,  ruby-red ;  Coquina,  salmon-pink ;  Debutante, 
rose-pink ;  Dorothy  Perkins,  pink ;  Edmond  Proust, 
coppery  carmine  ;  Elisa  Robichon,  rose,  shaded  yellow ; 
Frangois  Foucard,  lemon ;  Gardenia,  bright  yellow ; 
Jersey  Beauty,  pale  yellow ;  Joseph  Lamy,  white, 
splashed  pink ;  Lady  Gay,  pink ;  Francois  Poisson, 
white ;  Paul  Transon,  pale  pink ;  Pink  Roamer,  pink, 
silvery  centre  ;  Rene  Andre,  pink,  suffused  with  orange  ; 
Ruby  Queen,  deep  red ;  and  Universal  Favourite,  pink. 
A  collection  newly  formed  might  include  some  of  the 
modern  varieties,  such  as  Aviateur  Bleriot,  saffron-yellow ; 
Shower  of  Gold,  orange-yellow ;  Excelsa,  crimson  form 
of  Dorothy  Perkins  ;  Jessica,  cream,  pink  centre  ;  Milky 
Way,  white ;  Sweetheart,  white ;  Troubadour,  red ; 
Minnehaha,  pink ;  Lady  Godiva,  blush ;  and  Dorothy 
Dennison,  pale  pink. 

Selected  varieties  of  this  class  also  make  beautiful 
creepers  when  worked  on  to  tall  Brier  stems ;  for  this 
purpose  the  doubles  may  be  grown,  such  as  Dorothy 
Perkins,  Lady  Gay,  White  Dorothy,  Lady  Godiva, 
Excelsa  and  Minnehaha.  If  only  one  pink  is  wanted  the 


136  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

last  might  be  chosen,  but  there  is  not  much  to  choose 
between  Dorothy  Perkins,  Lady  Gay  and  Minnehaha. 
Excelsa  is  indispensable  as  a  crimson,  and  I  expect  to 
see  this  beautiful  variety  supersede  Crimson  Rambler  in 
many  gardens,  because,  in  addition  to  its  beauty  as  a 
creeper,  it  is  a  fine  arch  and  pillar  Rose.  The  creepers 
may  be  grown  in  large  pots  if  desired,  as  they  make 
beautiful  ornaments  for  a  conservatory. 

The  Memorial  Roses  are  not  all  equally  good  ground 
and  pillar  Roses,  but  Alberic  Barbier,  Dorothy  Perkins, 
Lady  Gay  and  Rene  Andre  are  suitable  for  both  purposes. 
The  last  is  a  variety  the  merits  of  which  are  not  fully 
appreciated.  True,  it  is  only  semi-double,  but  the  flowers 
are  large,  of  a  rich,  warm  tone,  and  very  abundantly 
produced.  I  find  it  one  of  the  most  useful  of  all  pillar 
Roses,  and  there  is  nothing  quite  like  it  in  colour.  Alberic 
Barbier  is  the  most  truly  perpetual,  for  it  is  nearly  always 
in  bloom,  and  undeniably  it  is  the  least  fastidious  as  to 
soil.  A  poor  chalky  ground  does  not  trouble  it,  even  in  a 
dry  season  ;  and  when  Crimson  Rambler  near  is  covered 
with  mildew  Alberic  Barbier  is  spotless. 

So  much  has  been  said  about  pillar  Roses  in  modern 
books  on  flowers  that  one  feels  the  subject  is  exhausted, 
nevertheless,  let  me  not  wholly  ignore  it.  At  the  least  I 
must  write  in  praise  of  that  magnificent  modern  Rose, 
American  Pillar,  assuredly  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
varieties  ever  put  before  the  Rose-loving  public.  It  is  a 
single-flowered  variety,  nearly  as  big  as  Carmine  Pillar, 
but  with  flowers  in  large,  broad  sprays  ;  the  colour  is 
rich  cerise  with  a  bold,  pure,  well-defined  white  centre. 
Good  and  useful  as  Hiawatha  and  Leuchtstern  are, 
American  Pillar  greatly  exceeds  them  in  beauty  of  bloom. 
It  gives  the  finest  sprays  of  flower  when  the  lateral  shoots 
are  pruned  to  a  few  eyes  in  spring. 


THE   NEW   ROSE-GROWING          137 

No  more  admirable  pillar  Rose,  new  or  old,  can  be 
found  than  Blush  Rambler,  and  a  sport  from  this  named 
Dorothy  Jeavons,  pure  white,  with  yellow  anthers,  is 
worthy  of  the  attention  of  Rose-lovers,  for  it  has  the 
good  habit  and  abundant  blooming  of  its  parent. 

The  blue  pillar  Rose,  Veilchenblau,  evokes  interest. 
The  name  stands  in  German  for  the  adjective  violet-blue, 
and  it  represents  the  colour  of  the  flowers  very  well. 
Not  many  Rose-lovers  would  call  it  beautiful,  but  there 
are  some  who  admire  it.  It  is  a  semi-double  seedling 
from  Crimson  Rambler,  introduced  by  Schmidt  in  1909. 
The  habit  is  vigorous,  and  the  flowers  are  produced  in 
large  bunches. 

Lovers  of  Crimson  Rambler  have  long  sighed  for  a 
Perpetual  form.  Though  a  very  beautiful  Rose  in  its 
season  it  does  not  last  long,  and  the  flowers  hang  in  dry, 
brown,  unsightly  bunches  after  July.  The  same  remarks 
apply  to  Philadelphia  Rambler.  Flower  of  Fairfield 
closely  resembles  Crimson  Rambler,  but  is  a  successional 
bloomer,  and  may  on  that  account  be  preferred. 

All  pillar  Roses  should  be  thinned  in  late  summer, 
preserving  strong  new  wood  and  giving  it  full  exposure 
to  the  sun. 

Rose-lovers  who  have  large  gardens  may  well  give 
attention  to  the  fine  modern  hybrids  of  the  rough-leaved 
Japanese  Rose,  rugosa,  for  they  make  wonderful  groups. 
One  healthy  plant  in  a  bed  to  itself  is  an  inspiring  sight 
in  late  spring,  looking  at  a  distance  like  a  gigantic  Paeony. 
In  autumn  the  large,  brilliant  hips  of  the  single  forms 
are  bright  and  cheerful.  Places  might  be  found  for  beds 
of  these  giant  Rose  bushes  on  the  outskirts  of  a  lawn,  or 
they  might  form  isolated  groups  in  rough  grass.  They 
are  perfectly  hardy. 

There  is  no  more  beautiful  variety  in  this  class  than 


138  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

Conrad  F.  Meyer,  a  hybrid  of  which  one  parent  alone  is  a 
rugosa.  It  has  large,  double,  pink  flowers,  which  have  a 
distinct  perfume.  Nova  Zembla  is  probably  a  form  of 
it ;  it  has  white  flowers.  Both  of  these  bloom  freely. 

Another  magnificent  rugosa  is  Blanc  double  de 
Coubert,  a  double  with  huge  white  flowers.  A  strong 
grower,  one  plant  suffices  for  a  fairly  large  bed  in  good 
soil,  for  it  may  grow  ten  feet  high  and  seven  feet  through, 
with  bloom  from  top  to  bottom.  Belle  Poitevine  makes 
a  good  companion  to  Coubert's  variety ;  it  is  likewise 
a  double,  very  vigorous  and  free-blooming,  with  hand- 
some, perfumed  flowers.  The  darkest  of  the  rugosas, 
and  one  of  the  handsomest,  is  atropurpurea ;  it  is  well 
worth  planting. 

The  Bankian  Roses  stand  where  they  did,  but  there 
have  been  some  remarkable  additions  to  the  Austrian 
Briers  and  their  hybrids.  The  old  Austrians,  such  as 
the  Copper,  the  Yellow,  and  Harrisoni,  are  almost 
phenomenal  in  their  rich  colouring.  Here  are  several  of 
these  hybrids  : 

Gottfried  Keller. — Semi-double,  apricot-coloured  with 
yellow  centre,  a  good  late  bloomer. 

Juliet. — A  Rose  of  extraordinary  colouring,  the  ex- 
terior of  the  petals  being  old  gold,  the  interior  rose.  It 
is  not  beautiful,  however,  when  fully  expanded,  being 
somewhat  lumpy.  It  is  very  sweet. 

Rayon  d'Or. — One  of  the  most  interesting  creations  of 
the  French  raisers,  Pernet-Ducher,  having  a  strong, 
free-branching  habit,  with  dark  bronzy  green  leaves 
that  seem  to  be  impervious  to  mildew.  Flowers  large  and 
globular,  of  a  rich  yellow.  Rayon  d'Or  promises  to  prove 
one  of  the  most  valuable  of  all  Roses,  and  is  a  splendid 
bedder. 

The  mention  of  Roses  for  bedding  suggests  a  reference 


THE   NEW    ROSE-GROWING  139 

to  some  of  the  newer  Polyantha  Pompon  Roses,  which 
bear  small  flowers  in  bunches  like  Crimson  Rambler,  but 
are  of  dwarf,  compact  bush  form.  Here  such  old  sorts 
as  Anna  Marie  de  Montravel,  Cecile  Brunner,  Eugenie 
Lamesch,  Gloire  des  Polyantha,  Leonie  Lamesch,  and 
Mignonette  find  strong  rivals  in  Aennchen  Miiller,  rose, 
Jessie,  pink,  and  Orleans  Rose,  Geranium-red,  all  of 
which  are  charming  varieties.  In  colour,  however,  the 
old  China  Rose  Cramoisie  Superieure  stands  unrivalled 
amongst  bedders ;  it  is  of  an  intense  glowing  crimson. 
Fabvier,  brilliant  red,  Laurette  Messimy,  rose  with 
yellow  shading,  and  Madame  Eugene  Resal,  pink  with 
orange  shading,  are  good  bedding  Chinas.  They  have 
sprung  from  the  Old  Blush  or  Monthly  Rose.  A  variety 
of  the  China  section  named  Comtesse  du  Cayla  is  worth 
mention  owing  to  its  value  for  cutting ;  the  colour  is  a 
striking  combination  of  carmine  and  orange. 

The  most  noteworthy  addition  to  the  hybrid  Sweet- 
briers  is  Refulgence,  a  brilliant  semi-double  with  large 
dazzling  red  flowers  and  fragrant  leaves. 

The  older  Damask  Roses,  which  are  distinguished  by 
their  pale  green  foliage,  are  little  grown  in  these  days, 
but  there  are  at  least  two  varieties  which  are  worthy  of 
culture.  One  is  Mrs.  O.  G.  Orpen,  a  blush-pink  semi- 
climber,  and  the  other  Lady  Curzon,  a  charming  pink, 
but  scentless ;  both  of  these  have  large  single  flowers. 
The  old  Crimson  Damask  has  beautiful  colour. 

It  is  when  the  flower-lover  turns  to  the  Hybrid  Tea 
Roses  which  are  grown  as  dwarf  bushes  or  standards, 
whether  for  home  pleasure  or  for  exhibition,  that  he 
finds  the  greatest  "  embarrassment  of  riches  "  in  the 
form  of  new  Roses.  With  such  beautiful  sorts  as  Caroline 
Testout,  Madame  Ravary,  Richmond,  Killarney,  Lady 
Ashtown,  Joseph  Hill,  Dean  Hole,  Alice  Lindsell,  Bessie 


140  THE  NEW   GARDENING 

Brown,  Florence  Pemberton,  J.  B.  Clark,  Madame 
Melanie  Soupert,  Mildred  Grant,  William  Shean  and 
Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant — to  mention  only  a  few  of  the  standard 
sorts — it  might  be  thought  that  there  was  no  room  for 
more ;  but  raisers  continue  to  tempt  amateurs  with 
fresh  varieties  every  year,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that 
some  of  them  have  exceptional  beauty.  Let  us  consider 
a  few  of  these  novelties. 

The  Lyon. — There  is  nothing  to  match  the  colour  of 
this  extraordinary  variety,  for  the  centre  of  the  flowers 
is  salmon  shaded  with  yellow,  edges  of  petals  shrimp 
colour.  In  a  bright  light  it  has  an  almost  metallic 
glitter.  This  Rose  has  perhaps  created  the  greatest 
sensation  of  all  modern  novelties. 

Mrs.  Fred  Straker. — Rose  suffused  with  orange  in  the 
young  state,  fawny  pink  at  a  later  stage.  A  healthy, 
free-blooming  variety,  this  stands  out  as  one  of  the  best 
novelties. 

Mrs.  Walter  Easlea. — One  of  the  best  of  the  carmine 
H.  T.'s,  for  the  colour  is  rich,  the  form  good  and  the  con- 
stitution vigorous. 

Claudius. — A  beautiful  rose-coloured  variety  with 
large  globular  flowers. 

Ethel  Malcolm. — Ivory,  becoming  pure  white  with  age  ; 
a  Rose  of  splendid  quality. 

$/$Jonkheer  J.  L.  Mock. — This  variety  gives  a  strong 
reminder  of  that  popular  old  Rose  La  France  in  form, 
but  the  colour  is  darker.  It  has  a  good  stem  and  is  very 
sweet. 

Souvenir  de  Gustave  Prat.  —  Sulphur-coloured,  free- 
branching  and  floriferous. 

Duchess  of  Wellington. — Saffron-yellow  splashed  with 
red,  sweet. 

Theresa. — Orange  suffused  with  apricot,  changing  to 


THE   NEW   ROSE-GROWING         141 

silvery  pink,  semi-double  and  tea-scented,  a  free-blooming 
and  good  garden  variety. 

My  Maryland. — Salmon-pink,  very  sweet,  a  splendid 
American  variety. 

Alice  Stanley. — Exterior  coral-rose,  interior  light  flesh, 
strong,  an  abundant  bloomer,  and  sweet. 

Arthur  R.  Goodwin. — Coppery  orange,  changing  to 
salmon-pink,  large,  well-formed  flowers. 

Miss  Cynthia  Forde. — Brilliant  rose,  a  lasting  and 
fragrant  flower. 

Mrs.  Alfred  Tate. — Coppery  red  shaded  with  fawn,  a 
deep,  well-formed,  sweet  variety. 

Mrs.  E.  J .  Holland. — Salmon-rose,  deep  and  shapely, 
very  sweet ;  one  of  the  best  garden  varieties. 

White  Killarney. — A  pure  white  sport  from  the  old 
H.  T.  Killarney,  raised  in  America. 

Reliance. — One  of  the  best  varieties  of  the  famous 
American  raiser  Hill,  a  charming  blush-coloured  flower. 

It  is  in  the  Hybrid  Tea  section  that  the  interest  of 
Rose-lovers  generally,  and  exhibition  growers  in  par- 
ticular, centres.  The  other  two  great  classes,  Hybrid 
Perpetual  and  Tea-scented,  show  a  comparatively  small 
number  of  striking  novelties.  Nevertheless  they  are 
worthy  of  mention. 

The  following  are  good  modern  H.  P.'s  : 

Commander  Jules  Graver eaux. — This  has  been  described 
as  "  a  red  Frau  Karl  Druschki."  If  it  hardly  deserves 
such  high  praise  it  is  still  a  very  fine  variety.  The  buds 
are  long  and  pointed,  and  they  expand  into  a  large,  well- 
formed  flower.  The  colour  is  velvety  red  with  maroon 
shading. 

Gloire  de  Chedane  Guinoisseau. — A  splendid  garden 
Rose,  bright  vermilion  in  colour,  very  free-blooming  and 
of  good  form. 


142  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

Hugh  Dickson. — One  of  the  best  of  its  class,  both  for 
garden  and  show.  A  large,  handsome,  fragrant  flower, 
rich  crimson  in  colour.  A  free-bloomer  early  and  late. 

The  lover  of  the  delicately  scented  and  refined  Tea 
Roses  will  find  the  following  novelties  worthy  of  his 
attention  : 

Miss  Alice  de  Rothschild. — Citron-yellow,  with  long, 
pointed  buds  which  expand  into  a  fine  full  flower  with 
reflexed  petals ;  the  colour  holds  well.  Very  sweet. 
The  plant  is  a  strong,  erect  grower. 

Lady  Hillingdon. — Very  long,  pointed  buds  of  a  deep 
apricot-yellow,  a  good  grower  and  abundant  bloomer. 
There  are  few  Roses  with  so  rich  a  colour. 

Mrs.  Foley  Hobbs. — A  beautiful  variety  with  ivory- 
coloured  flowers,  the  edges  of  which  are  tinted  with  pink. 
The  flower  is  very  large  and  solid. 

Mrs.  Herbert  Stevens. — A  long,  pointed  bud  opening 
into  a  large,  substantial  flower.  White,  shaded  with 
fawn  towards  the  centre. 

Nita  Weldon. — A  beautiful  ivory-coloured  flower,  the 
edges  tinted  with  blush.  The  plant  is  vigorous  and 
blooms  freely. 

Molly  Sharmon-Crawford. — Ivory,  cream  centre. 

There  is  perhaps  little  new  in  the  cultivation  of  dwarf 
and  standard  Roses,  whether  for  garden  decoration  or 
show.  Such  change  as  there  is  lies  in  pruning,  and  this 
only  among  garden-growers,  who  tend  to  discriminate 
more  than  was  the  case  in  years  gone  by.  There  is  a 
tendency  to  prune  the  vigorous  sorts  less  severely  than 
was  formerly  the  case,  leaving  the  shoots  a  foot  long 
instead  of  pruning  to  within  five  or  six  inches  of  the 
ground.  The  weaker  varieties  are  still  pruned  hard. 
Growers  for  show  do  not,  however,  modify  to  any  extent 
the  practice  of  past  years.  They  may  not  prune  all 


THE   NEW   ROSE-GROWING          143 

varieties  equally  hard,  but  they  cut  even  the  stronger 
sorts  to  within  four  or  five  buds  of  the  ground  every 
spring.  Their  main  object  is  to  get  a  small  number  of 
strong  shoots,  each  of  which  will  produce  a  long,  shapely 
bud.  If  several  buds  come  in  a  cluster  they  are  thinned 
to  one.  Those  growers  who  want  a  large,  freely  branched 
plant,  with  abundance  of  flowers,  are  in  quite  different 
case. 

A  new  system  of  glass  cultivation,  which  originated  in 
America,  has,  however,  sprung  into  being,  in  recent  years. 
A  limited  number  of  very  vigorous,  free-blooming  sorts, 
such  as  Frau  Karl  Druschki,  Richmond  and  Ulrich 
Brunner,  are  planted  in  beds  of  fertile  soil,  and  covered 
with  glass  lights  supported  by  stout  uprights  at  a  height 
of  about  six  feet  from  the  ground  in  autumn.  The 
flower-stems  rise  to  a  height  of  two  feet  or  more,  and 
when  cut  the  plant  throws  up  a  fresh  crop  ;  in  some 
cases  three  crops  are  taken  from  one  plant.  These  long, 
stout  stems,  surmounted  by  large,  beautiful  flowers,  are 
splendid  for  vases,  and  realize  high  prices  in  late  winter. 
Care  has  to  be  taken  that  mildew  does  not  fasten  on  the 
plants  and  spread.  Sulphur  is  dusted  on,  or  the  plants 
are  sprayed  with  chemical  preparations.  If  the  Roses 
can  be  kept  free  from  this  fungus  they  generally  present 
a  picture  of  vigorous  and  verdant  health.  In  the  large 
establishments  one  may  see  an  acre  or  more  of  Roses 
grown  in  one  batch  under  glass  in  this  way,  and  when 
they  are  in  full  bloom  the  sight  is  one  of  remarkable 
beauty. 

Those  who  grow  Roses  for  garden  decoration  alone  tend 
to  intercrop  their  plants  more  than  was  formerly  the 
case.  At  one  time  a  rosarian  was  afraid  to  put  any  other 
plants  between  his  Roses,  for  fear  of  injury  to  them,  and 
rather  than  run  any  risk  he  would  tolerate  bare  earth 


144  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

for  several  months  in  the  year.  Grown  bolder,  he  now 
plants  low  things,  such  as  Polyanthuses  and  Violas, 
between  his  Roses  ;  and  is  gratified  to  find  that  with 
deeply  tilled,  well-manured  soil,  and  with  reasonable 
restriction  of  the  dwarf  plants,  the  Roses  are  not  a  whit 
the  worse.  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  are  the  ideal 
plants  for  this  purpose,  for,  raised  under  glass  in  winter 
and  planted  out  in  autumn,  they  carpet  the  ground, 
bloom  beautifully  in  late  spring  of  the  following  year, 
and  can  be  removed  when  the  Roses  come  into  bloom. 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE   NEW  SWEET   PEA   GROWING 

THE  development  of  the  Sweet  Pea  has  been  one  of  the 
floral  wonders  of  modern  times.  A  plant  of  a  dozen  or 
so  varieties,  bearing  stems  a  foot  long  at  the  most,  and 
with  an  average  of  two  small  flowers  per  spray,  has 
grown  into  one  of  nearly  a  thousand  sorts,  with  2-feet 
stems  carrying  four  and  five  huge  blooms  each.  Further, 
the  range  of  colours  has  been  extended  greatly. 

The  Sweet  Pea  is,  indeed,  a  totally  different  and 
more  beautiful  flower  than  it  was  at  the  end  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  The  only  quality  in  which  there  has  been 
no  improvement  is  fragrance.  It  is  doubtful,  indeed,  if 
we  are  as  well  off  in  that  respect  as  we  used  to  be.  It 
is  true  that  all  modern  Sweet  Peas  are  pleasantly  per- 
fumed, but  we  do  not  find  in  every  variety  the  rich,  full, 
delicious  fragrance  of  old  sorts  like  the  once-popular 
lavender  Lady  Grisell  Hamilton.  It  would  be  too  much 
to  say  that  as  Sweet  Peas  increase  in  size  odour  is  lost 
in  inverse  ratio,  and  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any 
immediate  danger  of  the  flower  ceasing  to  be  perfumed ; 
but  the  quality  of  fragrance  is  so  precious  that  Sweet 
Pea  lovers  who  appear  to  be  unduly  apprehensive  may 
be  readily  pardoned. 

The  flower-lover  who  admires  Sweet  Peas,  and  has 
watched  with  interest  their  upward  progress,  may  wonder 
whether  they  owe  most  to  new  varieties  or  to  fresh 
K  145 


r46  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

methods  of  culture.  When  this  question  engages  our 
attention  we  find  that  there  is  much  to  be  said  on  both 
sides.  Modern  sorts  grown  in  the  old  way  would  cer- 
tainly not  give  the  wonderful  results  which  are  seen  at 
the  principal  shows ;  on  the  other  hand,  no  system  of 
culture  applied  to  the  early  varieties  could  have  pro- 
duced the  length  of  stem  and  the  size  of  bloom  which 
rejoice  us  at  the  present  day. 

We  may  deal  with  varieties  and  culture  separately. 

Of  every  colour  that  the  old  smooth-edged  type  of 
flower  (sometimes  called  the  grandiflora)  could  boast 
we  now  have  counterparts  with  frilled  blooms,  and  in 
addition  we  have  colours  that  were  unknown  in  previous 
years.  With  the  frilling  there  came,  strange  to  say, 
much  larger  flowers.  When  a  plain-edge  and  a  frilled- 
edge  of  the  same  colour  are  put  side  by  side  it  is  found 
that  the  latter  is  the  larger  in  every  case.  This  is  not 
easily  explained,  indeed,  the  reason  for  it  is  remote. 
The  texture  is  not  inferior — the  frilled  flower  is  not 
"  rolled-out,"  as  it  were.  It  is  not  an  attenuated  form  of 
the  grandiflora.  The  waved  flower  has  equal  substance 
with  the  plain,  and  has  greater  area  of  petal.  It  is 
also  more  freely  produced  than  the  majority  of  the  grandi- 
flora varieties,  but  this  is  explainable  by  the  fact  that  it 
sprang  from  a  particular  plain-type  sort — Prima  Donna — 
which  had  the  merit  of  bearing  more  flowers  to  a  stem 
than  the  majority  of  its  contemporaries.  Prima  Donna 
was  not,  however,  an  exceptionally  large  grandiflora 
Sweet  Pea.  It  could  transmit  the  quality  of  free-blooming 
but  not  of  great  size. 

The  first  two  of  the  frilled  race  were  Countess  Spencer 
and  Gladys  Unwin,  and  they  came  practically  together, 
but  the  former  was  the  larger  and  more  completely 
waved  and  became  the  typical  variety  of  the  new  class, 


THE   NEW  SWEET   PEA   GROWING     147 

which  are  as  often  spoken  of  collectively  as  "  Spencers  " 
as  "  waved  "  or  "  frilled."  The  American  raisers,  indeed, 
adopted  the  eminently  sensible  plan  of  adding  the  suffix 
"  Spencer  "  to  the  name  of  the  old-type  variety  of  which 
a  frilled  form  was  developed.  Thus,  the  modern  form  of 
the  old  crimson  King  Edward  became  King  Edward 
Spencer,  the  old  cream  Queen  Victoria  changed  into 
Queen  Victoria  Spencer,  and  so  on. 

The  "  Spencer  "  varieties  are  now  the  ruling  class, 
and  will  hold  undivided  sway  until  such  time  as  the  double 
Sweet  Peas  (of  which  more  anon)  are  developed,  for  the 
plain-type  sorts  are  moribund.  It  is  true  that  a  few, 
such  as  Black  Knight,  maroon  with  shining  standard  ; 
Coccinea,  cerise ;  Dorothy  Eckford,  white ;  Duke  of 
Westminster,  violet ;  Helen  Pierce,  veined  blue  ;  King 
Edward  VII,  crimson  ;  Lady  Grisell  Hamilton,  lavender  ; 
Lord  Nelson  (Brilliant  Blue),  dark  blue  ;  Miss  Willmott, 
salmon  pink ;  Mrs.  Walter  Wright,  mauve ;  Queen 
Alexandra,  scarlet ;  and  Queen  of  Spain,  blush  with 
salmon  suffusion,  are  still  grown  in  small  gardens  and  for 
market ;  but  even  they  are  passing.  Perhaps  Coccinea, 
Dorothy  Eckford,  Helen  Pierce,  Lord  Nelson  and  Queen 
Alexandra  have  been  the  most  difficult  to  establish 
satisfactorily  in  the  Spencer  form,  and  to  this  day  we 
lack  a  really  substantial  pure  white  and  a  brilliant  dark 
blue  of  the  frilled  type. 

The  rise  in  popularity  of  the  Sweet  Pea  has  brought  a 
host  of  raisers  into  being,  with  the  result  that  in  many 
cases  one  variety  comes  on  to  the  market  under  several 
different  names  simultaneously.  Thus  the  buyer  is  in 
a  very  different  position  from  that  which  he  occupied 
when  practically  every  new  Sweet  Pea  came  from  the 
same  source.  If  in  one  sense  he  is  better  off,  in  so  far  as 
he  has  greater  freedom  of  choice,  in  another  he  is  worse, 


148  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

because  in  the  absence  of  opportunities  for  seeing  the 
novelties  of  all  the  principal  raisers,  and  of  expert 
guidance,  he  may  easily  find  himself  landed  with  duplicate 
sorts. 

It  may  be  well  to  take  the  principal  colours  of  Sweet 
Peas  in  alphabetical  order,  select  the  best  of  the  modern 
varieties,  and  mark  with  an  asterisk  those  which  resemble 
each  other  so  much  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  grow 
more  than  one  : 

Bicolor 

*Arthur  Unwin.  *Mrs.  Andrew  Ireland. 

Colleen.  Mrs.  Cuthbertson. 

Blue  (dark] 

Bluejacket.  *Mrs.  George  Charles. 

*Lord  Nelson  Spencer.  Paradise  Navy. 

*May  Farquhar. 

Blue  (medium) 

*Anglian  Blue.  Leslie  Imber. 

*Flora  Norton  Spencer.  *Shawondasee. 

*Kathleen  Macgowan.  Zephyr. 

Blue  (pale) 

*Guy  Hemus.  Walter  P.  Wright. . 

*Holdfast  Favourite.  Winifred  Unwin. 

*Seamew. 

Blue  flake 

*Blue-flake  Spencer.  Prince  Olaf  Spencer. 

George  Curzon.  *Suffragette. 

Blue-veined 

Bird  of  Paradise.  Paradise  Iris. 

Helen  Pierce.  Paradise  Opal  Pierce. 

Paradise  Bird's-egg. 


THE   NEW  SWEET   PEA  GROWING     149 

Blush  or  pale  pink 
*Florence  Morse  Spencer.        *Mrs.  Hardcastle  Sykes. 


Elfrida  Pearson. 


*Cherry  Ripe. 
*Paradise  Coccinea. 


*President. 
*Senator  Spencer. 


*Princess  Victoria. 
Cerise 

Coccinea. 

Chocolate  flake 

*W.  R.  Beaver. 


*  Clara  Curtis. 
Isobel  Malcolm. 

May  Campbell. 


Cream 

*Paradise  Primrose. 
*  Primrose  Spencer. 

Cream,  flecked  carmine 


*Dodwell  F.  Browne. 
*King  Edward  Spencer. 
*Maud  Holmes. 

*  Orion. 

*Lady  Knox. 

*  Paradise  Ivory. 

*  Paradise  Beauty. 

*Asta  Ohn. 
Florence  Nightingale. 
*Masterpiece. 
*Mrs.  Charles  Foster. 

Bertrand  Deal. 
Dorothy  (rosy  lilac). 


Crimson 

*Sunproof  Crimson. 

*  Sunproof  King  Alfonso. 
The  King. 

Ivory 

*Queenie. 
*Sea  Foam. 

Lavender 

Nettie  Jenkins. 
Paradise  Celestial. 

*  Paradise  Lavender. 


Lilac 


R.  F.  Felton. 


150  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

Magenta 
Menie  Christie. 

Maroon  (dense) 

Chocolate.  Othello  Spencer. 

King  Manoel. 

Maroon  (shining) 

*Black  Knight  Spencer.  Paradise  Colossus. 

*Douglas  Unwin.  *Paradise  Maroon. 

Dusky  Monarch.  *Tom  Bolton. 

Nubian. 

Mauve 

*  Amethyst.  Mrs.  Heslington. 

*Empress.  *  Queen  of  Norway. 

*Helio-Paradise.  *Tennant  Spencer. 

Mauve  Queen.  *The  Marquis. 

Orange  with  pink  wings 

*Anglian  Orange.  *Helen  Grosvenor. 

*Edrom  Beauty.  *Helen  Lewis. 

Orange  with  scarlet  wings 
*Dazzler.  *St.  George. 

*Edna  Unwin.  "Thomas  Stevenson. 

Pastel  pink 
Charles  Foster. 

Picotee  edge,  cream  ground 
*Evelyn  Hemus.  *Mrs.  C.  W.  Breadmore. 

Picotee  edge,  white  ground 
*Dainty.  *Elsie  Herbert. 

Pink 

*Countess  Spencer.  Hercules. 

*Enchantress.  *Paradise. 


THE   NEW  SWEET   PEA  GROWING     151 

Pink,  cream  ground 
Constance  Oliver.  *Mrs.  Hugh  Dickson. 

*Gladys  Burt.  Mrs.  Routzahn. 

Holdfast  Beauty.  Roman!  Rauni. 

*Mrs.  Henry  Bell.  W.  T.  Hutchins. 

Purple-maroon 
*Arthur  Green.  *Cyril  Unwin. 

Red  Flake 

*America  Spencer.  Paradise  Red-Flake. 

*Mrs.  Wilcox.  Uncle  Sam. 

Rose 
Edith  Taylor. 

Rose  and  Carmine 

*George  Herbert.  *Paradise  Carmine. 

*John  Ingman. 

Rose-veined 
Bouquet.  Paradise  Wren's  egg. 

Rosy  magenta,  white  eye 

*  Albert  Gilbert.  Marjorie  Willis. 
*Marie  Corelli.                           *Rosabelle. 

Salmon 

Barbara.  Melba. 

*Earl  Spencer.  *Nancy  Perkin. 

Iris.  Stirling  Stent. 

Salmon-pink 
Zarina. 

Salmon-pink,  cream  ground 

*  Anglian  Pink.  *Miriam  Beaver. 
Coronation.  Mrs.  R.  Hallam. 

*Doris  Usher. 


152  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Salmon  flake 
Aurora  Spencer.  Mrs.  W.  J.  Unwin. 

Scarlet 

Doris  Burt.  *Scarlet  Emperor. 

*George  Stark  Improved.  *Scarlet  Empress. 
*Queen  Alexandra  Spencer.  *Scarlet  Monarch. 
*Red  Star.  *Vermilion  Brilliant. 

Violet  flake 
*Bertie  Usher.  *Loyalty. 

White 
*Etta  Dyke.  Nora  Unwin. 

Florence  Wright.  *  Paradise  White  Pearl. 

*Freda.  *White  Spencer. 

Moneymaker. 

White  with  pink  patches 

*Eric  Harvey.  *Paradise  Apple-blossom. 

*Martha  Washington. 

White  with  blue  edge 

Mrs.  Townsend.  Phenomenal. 

Paradise  Peach-blossom. 

White,  flecked 
*Ethel  Roosevelt.      .  *Mrs.  H.  D.  Tigwell. 

Going  through  the  foregoing  in  search  of  a  limited 
number  of  particularly  good  varieties  I  find  the  following  : 

Mrs.  A.  Ireland,  bicolor. 
Flora  Norton  Spencer,  medium  blue. 
Walter  P.  Wright,  pale  blue. 
Elfrida  Pearson,  pale  pink. 
Suffragette,  blue  flake. 


THE   NEW   SWEET   PEA  GROWING     153 

Clara  Curtis,  cream. 

King  Edward  Spencer,  crimson. 

Paradise  Ivory,  ivory. 

Florence  Nightingale,  lavender. 

Bertrand  Deal,  lilac. 

Othello  Spencer,  dense  maroon. 

Tom  Bolton,  shining  maroon. 

Tennant  Spencer,  mauve. 

Helen  Lewis,  orange-pink. 

Thomas  Stevenson,  orange-scarlet. 

Evelyn  Hemus,  Picotee-edge,  cream. 

Dainty  Spencer,  Picotee-edge,  white. 

Hercules,  pink. 

Constance  Oliver,  pink,  cream  ground. 

Mrs.  Routzahn,  cream-pink. 

John  Ingman,  rose  and  carmine. 

Marjorie  Willis,  rosy  magenta. 

Stirling  Stent,  salmon-cerise. 

Zarina,  salmon-pink. 

Mrs.  R.  Hallam,  salmon-pink,  cream  ground. 

Mrs.  W.  J.  Unwin,  salmon  flake. 

Scarlet  Monarch,  scarlet. 

Vermilion  Brilliant,  scarlet. 

Loyalty,  violet  flake. 

Etta  Dyke,  white. 

Florence  Wright,  white. 

Eric  Harvey,  white  with  pink  patches. 

Mrs.  Townsend,  white  with  blue  edge. 

Ethel  Roosevelt,  white,  flecked. 

These  are  certainly  among  the  best  of  modern  Sweet 
Peas. 

Sweet  Peas  with  double  standards  have  come  with 
increasing  frequency  during  the  past  few  years,  and  we 


154  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

are  certainly  well  on  the  way  towards  getting  double 
Sweet  Peas.  A  normal  flower  is  composed  of  an  upright 
petal  (the  "  standard  "),  two  side  petals  (the  "  wings  ") 
and  a  folded  petal  or  petals  (the  "  keel  ").  As  a  first 
step  towards  becoming  double  the  Sweet  Pea  has  pro- 
duced two  standards.  The  phenomenon  is  accompanied 
by  exceptional  vigour  in  the  plant,  and  one  of  the  finest 
varieties  to  show  it  commonly  was  the  giant  Picotee- 
edged  cream,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Breadmore. 

Those  who  take  note  of  the  beautiful  harmony  of  a  good 
normal  Sweet  Pea  of  a  modern  variety  view  the  approach 
of  the  double  with  some  alarm,  especially  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  perfume  may  diminish  with  doubling.  On  the 
other  hand,  those  who  grow  flowers  for  market  welcome 
the  prospect  of  getting  double  varieties,  because  double 
flowers  are  more  lasting  and  travel  better  than  singles. 
The  American  growers  have  chosen  the  word  "  Duplex  " 
to  distinguish  varieties  of  this  class. 

Turning  to  the  second  head,  namely  culture,  we  have 
to  recognize  at  once  that  it  has  been  revolutionized  as 
completely  as  the  varieties.  No  longer  are  Sweet  Peas 
sown  broadcast  in  a  line  or  circle,  to  come  up  thickly  and 
grow  into  a  dense  mass  ;  they  are  grown  singly,  in  many 
cases  from  plants  raised  in  pots  or  boxes  under  glass. 
Moreover,  the  principal  cultivators  for  exhibition  disbud 
the  plants  severely,  restricting  them  to  a  maximum  of 
three  shoots  ;  some  varieties  are  restricted  to  two,  others 
to  one. 

The  flower-lover  who  has  never  seen  the  effects  of  dis- 
budding on  Sweet  Peas  may  ask,  (i)  how  it  is  done ; 
(2)  what  a  severely  disbudded  plant  looks  like. 

The  disbudding  is  done  in  this  way  :  Sweet  Peas 
grown  singly  throw  up  shoots  below  the  first  seed  shoot, 
which  we  will  call  the  leader.  The  subsidiary  shoots  vary 


THE   NEW  SWEET   PEA   GROWING     155 

in  number,  but  often  consist  of  three.  When  they  have 
extended  four  or  five  inches  they  are  generally  stronger 
than  the  leader,  which  is  forthwith  removed.  If  it  is 
decided  to  allow  the  plant  to  grow  with  three  branches, 
the  subsidiaries,  which  now  become  primaries,  are  grown 
on  in  place  of  the  old  leader,  and  all  lateral  shoots 
which  form  on  them  are  picked  out  as  fast  as  they  show, 
the  same  as  in  Tomato-growing.  If  the  plant  is  only  to 
carry  two  branches  the  weakest  of  the  three  is  removed  ; 
if  it  is  to  have  one  only  the  best  is  kept  and  the  other  two 
are  removed. 

The  branches  are  kept  about  six  inches  apart,  and  are 
trained  vertically  or  diagonally  to  wires  or  rods.  The 
haulm  becomes  broad  and  flat,  and  the  leaves  grow  very 
large  and  assume  a  bluish  colour. 

If  a  plant  does  not  throw  up  shoots  naturally  from  the 
base  it  can  be  made  to  do  so  by  taking  out  the  point  of 
the  leader  when  four  inches  high. 

One  result  of  growing  Sweet  Peas  on  the  restrictive 
principle  is  that  they  produce  very  long  thick  flower 
stems,  and  here  lies  a  danger.  The  stems  may  be  so  long 
that  the  flowers  are  spread  over  them  in  a  loose,  irregular 
way,  with  wide  gaps  between  them.  In  such  a  condition 
the  sprays  lack  elegance,  they  are  coarse  and  unsightly. 
On  this  account  it  is  unwise  to  apply  the  system  in  its 
utmost  severity  in  the  case  of  very  strong  sorts,  which 
should  not  be  reduced  below  three  branches.  Weak 
growers  may  be  restricted  to  two,  or  even  one. 

While  a  writer  of  a  modern  work  on  gardening  must 
take  cognizance  of  every  prominent  development,  it  does 
not  follow  that  he  is  in  complete  sympathy  with  it  in  every 
case.  Those  who  grow  Sweet  Peas  for  garden  decoration 
and  for  supplying  cut  bloom  are  advised  to  leave  the 
hard-pruning  system  to  exhibitors,  and  to  grow  the  plants 


156  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

in  a  more  natural  way.  With  liberally  manured  and 
deeply  dug  ground,  adequate  watering  and  good  varieties, 
the  stems  will  come  long  enough  for  cut-flower  work. 
But  the  stems  of  later  batches  will  be  short  unless  the 
plants  are  kept  growing  and  prevented  from  going  to 
seed. 

Pleasing  blends  of  colour  should  be  aimed  at,  whether 
in  row,  clump  or  vase.  A  salmon-coloured  variety  may 
be  associated  with  a  cream,  or  lavender,  or  both.  A 
pink  may  be  put  with  an  ivory,  or  pale  blue,  or  both. 
Remember,  however,  that  while  salmon  and  pink  are  good 
colours  under  artificial  light  blue  and  lavender  are  not. 


CHAPTER   X 

THE   NEW   CARNATION-GROWING 

IT  is  not  to  the  summer  flower-garden,  but  to  the  winter 
greenhouse  that  we  must  look  for  the  latest  developments 
in  Carnation-growing. 

The  Carnation  tends  more  and  more  to  become  an 
indoor  plant,  and  even  for  summer  bloom  glass  is  utilized 
much  more  extensively  than  was  the  case  in  years  gone 
by.  The  blame  for  this — and  blame  there  is  with  respect 
to  the  border  varieties,  for  the  thing  is  evil — must  be  laid 
at  the  door  of  the  exhibition  judge.  He  has  raised  his 
standard  until  it  is  almost  impossible  to  win  important 
prizes  with  outdoor  flowers.  Nominally  this  need  not 
have  any  influence  on  the  amateur  who  grows  Carnations 
for  garden  adornment,  and  neither  knows  nor  cares  any- 
thing about  the  shows.  But  in  reality  it  affects  him 
closely,  because  the  varieties  which  are  distributed 
by  florists  take  their  stamp  much  more  from  the  require- 
ments of  the  exhibitor  than  those  of  the  gardener.  So 
strongly  does  this  operate,  that  the  Carnation-lover 
who  buys  for  garden  and  for  garden  alone  is  compelled 
to  use  the  utmost  circumspection  in  making  his  choice  of 
varieties  ;  otherwise  he  finds  himself  burdened  with  sorts 
which,  while  capable  of  producing  a  few  very  refined 
flowers  under  special  treatment,  entirely  lack  the  vigour 
of  constitution  and  freedom  of  blooming  which  are  neces- 
sary in  a  good  garden  Carnation.  Of  that  more  anon. 


158  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  progress  made  during  recent  years  in  the  cultivation 
of  winter  Carnations  is  almost  as  remarkable  in  its  way 
as  that  accomplished  with  Sweet  Peas  and  pole  Roses. 
The  cases  of  Carnations  and  Sweet  Peas  are,  indeed,  on 
parallel  lines.  In  each  plant  we  have  seen  arise,  with 
almost  dramatic  suddenness,  a  new  class,  which  has  made 
so  powerful  an  impression  on  public  taste  as  to  usurp 
completely  the  place  of  the  old.  Moreover,  this  modern 
section  has  suggested  an  advanced  method  of  culture. 

With  both  Carnations  and  Sweet  Peas  what  is  practi- 
cally a  new  industry  has  grown  up.  A  good  deal  of  capital 
has  been  put  into  glass-houses,  in  the  former  case  for 
bloom,  in  the  latter  for  seed.  New  openings  have  been 
made  for  skilled  labour.  A  fresh  and  important  item 
has  been  added  to  the  markets. 

The  new  winter  Carnation  is  of  American  origin,  and 
it  made  its  debut  in  the  form  of  that  beautiful  bright 
pink  variety  Mrs.  T.  W.  Lawson.  Even  the  casual 
flower-lover,  who  knows  very  little  of  the  names  of  Car- 
nations, is  familiar  with  the  name  of  this  famous  kind, 
not  only  because  it  is  associated  with  a  notorious  financier, 
but  because  a  few  years  ago  sensational  accounts  of  the 
huge  sums  which  were  reputedly  paid  for  the  first  plants 
were  trumpeted  for  months  in  the  public  press.  Its 
success  was  instantaneous,  with  the  natural  result  that 
florists  rushed  to  the  production  of  fresh  varieties  of  the 
same  type.  It  was  commonly  agreed  that  the  old  type 
of  winter  Carnation  would  have  to  go,  because  of  the  larger 
size,  longer  stems  and  richer  perfume  of  the  new  class ; 
and  raisers  fell  over  each  other  in  their  haste  to  produce 
new  colours  of  the  Lawson  race. 

How  far  they  have  succeeded  may  be  gauged  from  the 
following  list  of  modern  varieties  : 

Britannia. — A  beautiful  scarlet  variety,  which  the  old 


THE    NEW   CARNATION-GROWING     159 

school  of  florists,  who  love  a  smooth-edged  flower,  and 
could  never  reconcile  themselves  to  the  serrated  edge  of 
Mrs.  T.  W.  Lawson,  acknowledged  to  be  of  the  highest 
quality. 

Beacon. — As  good  a  scarlet  as  Britannia  except  in 
having  a  serrated  edge. 

Carola. — Dark  crimson,  of  the  best  quality. 

Enchantress. — Pink,  one  of  the  earliest  varieties,  and 
still  good  enough  to  grow. 

Lady  Bountiful. — Pure  white. 

Lady  Coventry. — Crimson. 

Lady  Fortescue. — Bright  rose,  a  rich  and  beautiful 
tone. 

Lady  C.  Waring. — Yellow. 

May  Day. — Clear  pink,  a  very  popular  sort. 
'  Mrs.  Burnett. — Salmon-pink,  one  of  the  best. 

Robert  Craig. — Scarlet. 

Winsor. — Silvery  rose. 

White  Enchantress. — White. 

All  the  foregoing  are  varieties  which  have  a  natural 
tendency  to  produce  larger  flowers  and  longer  stems  than 
the  old-fashioned  Tree  Carnation,  and  consequently  they 
are  much  more  important  for  cutting. 

The  power  of  producing  long  stems  is  developed  by  the 
special  system  of  culture  which  is  now  adopted  by  com- 
mercial florists  both  in  America  and  Britain.  This  is  to 
grow  the  plants  in  large,  lofty,  airy  greenhouses,  where  the 
Carnations  are  planted  out  in  beds  that  are  covered  a  foot 
or  so  above  the  soil  with  a  net- work  of  wire.  A  plant  grow- 
ing in  a  bed  a  good  way  from  the  glass  will  always  produce 
a  longer  flower-stem  than  one  growing  in  a  pot  close 
to  the  glass,  and  this  is  taken  advantage  of.  (It  is  de- 
sirable to  point  out  that  in  the  case  of  some  plants 
elongation  of  flower-stems  means  weakness,  and  is 


160  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

not  desirable.)  As  the  flower-stems  of  the  Carnations 
rise  in  successional  batches  they  are  tied  to  the  wires, 
and  consequently  stakes  are  not  required. 

The  demand  for  American  Carnations  in  winter  and 
spring  has  grown  so  enormously  that  many  commercial 
florists  have  erected  houses  especially  for  their  culture. 
The  trade  is  more  likely  to  increase  than  to  diminish, 
except  in  the  unlikely  event  of  a  new  race  of  Carnations 
arising  to  supersede  the  Americans  in  the  same  way  that 
the  Americans  have  ousted  the  Trees  ;  and  there  may  be 
readers  who  contemplate  embarking  capital  in  it.  The 
plants  are  not  at  all  difficult  to  grow,  but  a  relatively 
considerable  amount  of  capital  is  required  to  build  and 
equip  the  houses,  and  it  is  in  this  matter  that  care  and 
consideration  are  necessary.  The  low,  narrow,  cheap 
house  of  the  orthodox  market  type  is  not  suitable  for 
Carnations.  Two  large  well-fitted  houses  might  be  ex- 
pected to  cost  the  better  part  of  £500. 

Only  the  best  varieties  should  be  selected.  The  grower 
who  wishes  to  keep  constantly  in  touch  with  the  most 
recent  creations  of  the  florists — and  events  move  so  fast 
that  a  book  list  may  be  partially  out  of  date  within  a 
month  of  its  publication — should  visit  the  principal 
shows,  and  also  watch  the  proceedings  of  the  winter- 
flowering  Carnation  Society.  By  so  doing  he  becomes 
acquainted  with  every  new  variety  as  soon  as  it  appears, 
and  also  acquires  the  most  recent  cultural  information. 

The  American  Carnations  have  the  "  Tree  "  or  upright 
habit,  as  distinguished  from  the  tufty  growth  of  the 
Border  varieties,  consequently  they  are  most  readily 
propagated  by  cuttings,  which  may  be  formed  of  young 
flowerless  side  shoots  cut  off  just  below  one  of  the  joints 
on  the  stem.  Rooting  is  facilitated  if  the  stem  is  slit 
up  a  little  and  a  small  pebble  slipped  in,  but  this  is  not 


THE   NEW   CARNATION-GROWING     161 

vital.  Sandy  soil  is  desirable,  and  so  is  gentle  bottom- 
heat,  say  65°  to  70°.  Several  cuttings  may  be  put 
round  the  edge  of  a  6-inch  pot. 

Propagation  may  begin  in  January  and  continue  till 
April  in  order  to  get  successive  batches  of  plants.  When 
the  little  plants  begin  to  grow  thay  may  be  put  separately 
in  3 -inch  pots.  The  tips  of  the  shoots  should  be  nipped 
off  to  encourage  side  branches.  From  mid- April  onwards 
they  may  be  kept  in  a  cold  frame  till  autumn. 

A  method  of  propagating  Carnations  which  is  applicable 
to  any  plant  with  several  fairly  long  side  shoots  growing 
in  a  pot  is  as  follows  :  take  each  shoot  in  turn  between 
finger  and  thumb,  strip  off  the  bottom  foliage,  but  leave 
a  cluster  of  "  grass  "  at  the  top,  twist  the  stem  round  so 
as  to  lacerate  the  skin  without  breaking  the  shoot  off, 
bend  it  down  to  the  soil  just  inside  the  rim  of  the  pot, 
and  there  peg  it  down.  Each  one  so  treated  will  root, 
moreover,  shoots  suitable  for  cuttings  will  break  from  the 
centre  of  the  plant,  and  can  be  taken  off  and  struck 
when  about  three  inches  long. 

Although  the  modern  market-grower  cultivates  Ameri- 
can Carnations  in  beds  in  the  manner  described,  the 
amateur  who  has  only  one  house  in  which  to  keep  all  the 
different  kinds  of  plants  which  he  grows  must  necessarily 
have  them  in  pots,  in  the  same  way  that  he  has  been 
accustomed  to  grow  the  ordinary  Tree  varieties.  In 
such  cases  flower  stakes  and  tying  will  be  needed.  Six- 
inch  and  7-inch  pots  will  be  suitable  sizes,  and  the  soil 
may  consist  of  fibrous  loam  with  a  fourth  of  leaf-mould 
and  a  sprinkling  of  sand. 

Reverting  to  Border  Carnations,  I  have  remarked  that 
to  my  view  it  is  an  evil  that  all  the  year  round  indoor 
cultivation  should  be  encouraged.  The  plants  are  nomin- 
ally hardy ;  they  are  summer  growers  and  summer 

L 


1 62  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

bloomers ;  why,  therefore,  should  they  be  grown  under 
glass  ?  There  is  no  reason  except  that  it  gives  cleaner 
and  more  refined  show  flowers.  Flower-gardeners  will 
not  object  to  Carnation-lovers  growing  the  plants  in 
any  way  that  may  be  proper  so  long  as  the  point  is  kept 
in  view  that  new  varieties  must  be  hardy,  strong  in  con- 
stitution, vigorous  in  growth  and  liberal  in  their  flowering. 
A  grower  for  show  would  not  emphasize  these  points, 
and  that  is  why  his  influence  must  not  be  allowed  to 
become  paramount  among  raisers.  The  flower-gardener 
must  insist  upon  being  recognized.  He  must  make  his 
voice  heard.  The  more  strongly  he  asserts  himself  the 
better  it  will  be  for  the  plant.  If  the  Border  Carnation 
became  monopolized  by  exhibitors,  and  grown  under 
glass  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  its  constitution 
would  become  seriously  undermined ;  it  would  lose  its 
hardiness,  vigour  and  free-blooming  habit,  and  it  would 
be  even  more  liable  to  disease  than  it  is  at  the  present  time. 

The  Border  Carnations  must  be  kept  as  the  Border 
Carnation.  If  consistently  grown  in  pots  it  is  the  Border 
Carnation  no  longer.  With  the  extension  of  pot  culture 
there  has  gone  hand  in  hand  greater  predisposition  to 
disease. 

I  have  referred  previously  to  the  love  of  novelty  which 
affects  those  who  specialize  a  particular  plant.  In  the 
case  of  the  Carnation  there  is  more  than  the  love  of  novelty 
at  work  in  the  direction  of  change  of  variety  :  there  is 
natural  degeneration.  A  particular  sort  does  not  retain 
its  quality  year  after  year  ;  within  a  few  years — perhaps 
six  or  seven — of  its  introduction,  it  shows  signs  of  de- 
terioration. The  flowers  become  fewer  and  smaller, 
and  the  plant  falls  a  ready  prey  to  disease.  In  spite  of 
its  delicious  perfume  the  old  Clove  Carnation  has  almost 
died  out  of  modern  gardens,  and  this  I  believe  to  be  as 


THE   NEW   CARNATION-GROWING      163 

much  due  to  its  liability  to  disease  as  to  the  introduction 
of  varieties  with  finer  flowers.  But  whether  that  be  the 
case  or  not  the  Carnation-lover  who  wishes  to  keep  his 
collection  up  to  high-water  mark,  both  as  to  quality  of 
bloom  and  vigour  of  plant,  will  have  to  hold  himself 
prepared  to  make  sweeping  changes  of  sort  every  few 
years.  Without  this  the  best  system  of  culture  and  the 
most  unremitting  attention  will  not  suffice  to  keep  him 
on  an  equality  with  up-to-date  growers.  The  fact  that 
a  few  varieties  of  exceptional  vigour  last  a  good  many 
years  does  not  affect  the  rule.  There  are  such  cases. 
As  Carnations  go,  Lady  Hermione,  which  was  chosen 
by  Queen  Mary  of  Great  Britain  for  her  Coronation  flower, 
is  an  old  variety,  yet  it  is  still  a  good  salmon-pink.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  that  this  now  famous  sort  has 
Malmaison  blood  in  its  veins.  Another  example  is 
Trojan,  a  white  sent  out  by  the  late  Mr.  Martin  R.  Smith 
a  good  many  years  ago,  but  still  able  to  hold  its  own 
with  the  best  of  the  whites. 

The  following  might  be  chosen  by  anyone  who  wants 
to  have  a  good  modern  collection  of  Carnations  : 

Duchess  of  Wellington. — Heliotrope. 

Firebrand. — Scarlet. 

Queen  of  Spain. — Salmon. 

Viscountess  Ebrington. — Buff. 

Diomedes— Yellow  with  pink  edge. 

Hermione  and  Trojan. — Whites. 

Queen  Alexandra. — Yellow,  shaded  buff. 

Ben  Ghazi. — Crimson. 

Doreen. — White,  flecked  with  heliotrope,  an  early 
bloomer. 

Sir  Walter. — Yellow  ground  Fancy. 

Lieutenant  Shackleton. — Yellow,  flecked  with  rose. 

R.  F.  Felton, — Pale  pink. 


164  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Lord  Roberts. — Yellow. 

For  the  reasons  given  above  we  will  not,  however, 
look  upon  them  as  permanent  representatives  of  the 
beautiful  genus  to  which  they  belong.  We  will  grow 
them  until  they  show  signs  of  degeneration,  and  then  fill 
their  places  with  meritorious  newer  sorts  which  come 
under  our  notice. 

In  making  the  choice,  I  have  taken  vigour  of  con- 
stitution and  free-flowering  into  consideration  as  well  as 
beauty  of  bloom.  It  seems  to  be  impossible  to  keep 
some  varieties  free  from  disease,  while  others  with 
beautiful  flowers  have  poor  habit  or  are  shy  bloomers. 
Given  the  light,  friable,  gritty,  loamy  soil  which  Car- 
nations love,  kept  hardy  by  being  grown  through  the 
winter  in  the  open  air,  or  at  the  most  in  an  airy,  unheated 
frame,  the  plants  should  keep  free  from  disease  :  but 
where  fungus  has  been  prevalent  it  is  well  to  spray  even 
clean,  healthy  plants  with  Bordeaux  mixture  or  liver  of 
sulphur  a  few  times  in  the  winter  and  spring,  so  as  to 
prevent  any  of  the  spores  which  are  certainly  lurking 
about  the  place  from  growing.  Contrary  to  the  general 
view,  the  right  time  for  spraying  is  not  when  the  plants 
are  diseased,  but  while  they  are  healthy.  The  liver  of 
sulphur  solution  is  the  more  simple,  as  the  crystals  only 
need  to  be  dissolved  in  cold  water  at  the  rate  of  an 
ounce  per  three  gallons.  They  must  be  perfectly  fresh, 
or  they  will  do  no  good.  The  green  liquid  discolours 
paint,  so  that  if  pot  plants  are  being  treated  they  should 
be  stood  outside  for  the  treatment.  I  think  that  plants 
put  out  in  the  fall  remain  more  free  from  disease  than 
those  under  glass,  but  if  protected  plants  are  kept  healthy 
they  are  stronger  after  a  hard  winter  than  those  which 
have  had  to  undergo  the  ordeal  of  cold  rain,  bitter  wind 
and  hard  frost. 


THE   NEW   CARNATION-GROWING     165 

The  true  lover  of  Carnations  will  always  try  to  grow 
the  plants  in  beds  of  their  own,  for  they  are  entirely 
distinctive  in  foliage  as  well  as  in  flower,  and  never  look 
so  well  among  other  plants  as  they  do  by  themselves. 
Moreover,  when  given  the  dignity  of  special  beds  they  are 
established  on  a  higher  plane  than  when  put  in  general 
borders,  and  receive  closer  individual  attention.  There 
can  be  a  special  preparation  of  the  soil,  a  special  planting 
and  special  waterings.  Heavy  manuring  had  better  be 
eschewed.  If  the  soil  is  \;ery  stiff  it  is  best  lightened  with 
decayed  turf  chopped  into  pieces,  and  mortar  rubbish, 
not  with  manure.  Basic  slag  and  kainite  may  be  worked 
in  during  autumn  at  the  rate  of  half  a  pound  per  square 
yard,  but  if  the  beds  have  to  be  got  ready  in  spring  half 
that  quantity  of  bone  meal  would  be  better. 

Where  a  Garden  Carnation  seems  quite  happy,  and 
there  is  plenty  of  room,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  layer  the  young 
shoots  into  small  mounds  of  gritty  soil  round  the  old 
plant  in  August  and  leave  them  just  as  they  are  perma- 
nently. Large,  free-blooming  clumps  may  be  had  in  this 
way,  and  with  a  minimum  of  trouble,  but  the  plants 
cannot  be  expected  to  yield  prize  blooms. 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE   NEW  TULIP-GROWING 

THE  old  Tulip-growing  consisted  in  planting  the  early 
Dutch  section,  with  their  bright  but  flimsy  and  ephe- 
meral flowers,  in  formal  beds  ;  the  new  takes  the  larger, 
more  substantial,  more  lasting  May-flowering  class,  and 
puts  them  in  bold  groups  in  the  border. 

The  rise  of  the  English  May-flowering  Tulip  has  not, 
perhaps,  adversely  affected  the  popularity  of  the  early 
Dutch  ;  rather  by  a  kind  of  reflex  action  it  has  enhanced 
the  importance  of  the  latter  section,  with  the  result  that 
new  and  improved  varieties  have  been  produced.  The 
Tulip-lover  is  therefore  in  the  happy  position  of  having 
at  his  command  a  large  range  of  beautiful  sorts,  the 
flowering  season  of  which  extends  from  March  to  June. 

Amateurs  who  still  bed  Tulips  are  not  content  to  have 
bare  earth  the  whole  winter  through,  and  interplant  the 
bulbs  with  beautiful  dwarf  things  such  as  Primroses, 
Polyanthuses,  Arabis,  Aubrietias  and  Forget-me-nots. 
For  remarks  on  this  subject,  see  chapter  vm. 

In  pointing  out  in  chapter  in  how  Tulips  and  Daffo- 
dils could  be  planted  between  Aubrietias  and  Arabis  at 
the  front  of  borders  for  April  and  May  bloom,  recognition 
was  made  of  the  claims  of  these  great  bulbous  flowers 
to  be  planted  extensively  in  the  best  positions  in  the 
garden.  Look  where  we  may,  we  find  nothing  to  vie 
with  the  late  Tulips  for  brilliant  colour  groups  at  any 

1 66 


THE   NEW   TULIP-GROWING         167 

season  of  the  year,  and  when  we  realize  that  we  can 
have  these  glorious  displays  while  the  garden  year  is  still 
young  our  cup  of  satisfaction  is  full.     If  space  permits 
the  bulbs  should  be  set  nine  inches  apart  in  groups  of 
twelve,  for  then  one  gets  beautiful  blocks  of  colour  ;  but 
in  smaller  borders  six  or  even  three  may  be  planted. 
The  larger  the  groups  the  bigger  the  gaps  when  the  bloom 
is  over,  and  this  has  always  to  be  considered  when  plant- 
ing.   May-beauty  would  be  dearly  bought  at  the  cost  of 
bareness  throughout  the  summer.     To  reduce  the  gap 
some  growers  plant  the  bulbs  much  closer  together,  but 
this  is  a  mistake,  as  both  foliage  and  flowers  are  crowded 
when  in  full  beauty,  and  much  of  the  effect  is  lost.     It 
would  be  better  to  increase  than  to  reduce  the  space,  but 
at  nine  inches  there  is  just  room  to  set  young  seedling 
Snapdragons   or   China   Asters   between   the   Tulips   in 
spring.    A  certain  amount  of  unsightliness  is  inevitable 
while  the  Tulips  are  ripening  their  foliage,  but  it  does 
not  last  long,  and  as  soon  as  the  foliage  fades  the  yellow 
leaves  and  flower-stems  may  be  removed  entirely.    There 
is,  of  course,  the  alternative  of  taking  up  all  the  Tulips 
when  they  go  out  of  bloom  and  replanting  them  in  a 
reserve  bed  to  ripen ;    but  busy  people  will  prefer  the 
more  simple  procedure  already  indicated.    It  is  not  really 
necessary  to  take  up  the  Tulips  at  any  period,  for  they 
give  quite  satisfactory  results  when  left  in  the  ground 
from  year  to  year  ;   and  if  the  soil  is  good  they  maintain 
their  quality  satisfactorily. 

It  is  after  a  dry  summer  that  renewal  is  most  likely  to 
be  necessary,  and  in  the  fall  of  a  year  that  has  been 
marked  by  great  heat  and  prolonged  drought  I  should 
advise  the  careful  examination  of  all  the  clumps  that  are 
established  in  the  borders.  After  the  first  autumn  rains 
they  should  be  lifted  with  a  fork  and  looked  over,  with 


168  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  object  of  ascertaining  whether  there  are  several  fairly 
large  bulbs — say  of  the  size  of  a  small  walnut.  If  there 
are  no  such  bulbs,  but  only  offsets  of  the  size  of  Horse 
Beans,  the  clumps  will  require  renewal,  for  these  small 
fry  will  not  bloom  the  following  spring. 

Drought  may  or  may  not  have  the  effect  of  preventing 
bulbs  of  flowering  size  from  developing,  but  it  is  likely 
to  cause  looseness  of  skin.  I  have  noticed  this  more  in 
the  case  of  English  than  of  Dutch  bulbs.  The  greater 
proportion  of  sand  in  the  soil  round  Haarlem  and  Leyden 
gives  a  firm,  glossy  skin.  It  is  desirable  to  mention  this 
point  of  skin-looseness,  because  inexperienced  buyers  are 
apt  to  fear  that  a  bulb  which  shows  the  white  flesh  is 
defective.  This  is  not  the  case.  If  a  bulb  is  firm  and 
well  ripened  I  believe  that  it  would  thrive  equally  well 
whether  planted  with  the  skin  intact  or  entirely  devoid 
of  skin. 

Experience  proves  that  while  very  light,  sandy  soil, 
such  as  that  in  which  the  Dutch  grow  their  Tulips  for 
commercial  purposes,  gives  a  beautifully  bright,  clean  and 
compact  bulb,  it  does  not  give  the  finest  plants  and  the 
largest  flowers.  A  deep,  holding  loamy  soil,  such  as  grows 
prize  Roses,  gives  the  best  Tulips.  I  would  always  advise 
an  amatieur  who  wanted  to  grow  the  finest  possible 
clumps  of  Tulips  to  select  such  a  soil  if  it  were  within 
his  choice  ;  but  I  am  not  so  sure  that  I  should  give  that 
advice  to  a  commercial  bulb-grower,  for  the  reason  that 
he  would  probably  get  such  enormous  bulbs  that  the 
carriage  would  become  an  appreciable  item.  The  reason 
seems  a  somewhat  ludicrous  one,  but  it  is  based  on  fact. 
In  some  centres  that  I  know  the  bulbs  are  gigantic.  A 
large  bulb  may  or  may  not  produce  a  proportionately 
large  plant  and  flowers  ;  a  great  deal  depends  on  the 
soil  in  which  it  is  planted.  I  may,  however,  say  at  once 


THE   NEW   TULIP-GROWING        169 

that  the  most  important  item,  beyond  texture  of  soil,  in 
producing  fine  Tulips  is  moisture.  These  noble  plants 
love  large  quantities  of  water,  in  fact,  too  much  can 
hardly  be  given.  With  abundance  of  moisture  in  spring 
they  will  not  only  produce  huge  clumps  of  foliage  and 
bloom — the  flower-stems  perhaps  rising  thirty  inches  high 
— but  they  will  likewise  form  large  bulbs  for  the  next 
year's  flowering,  which  would  be  found  at  an  advanced 
stage  of  development  if  the  plants  were  lifted  in 
June. 

With  a  large,  sound  bulb  the  Tulip  is  guarded  against 
nearly  every  ill.  So  fortified,  the  plants  will  endure  hard- 
ships that  an  inexperienced  grower  would  regard  as  over- 
whelming. Tulip-lovers  in  most  parts  of  Great  Britain 
had  an  extraordinary  experience  in  the  spring  of  1911. 
After  a  long  spell  of  mild  weather  in  March,  which  brought 
the  plants  into  an  advanced  stage  of  growth,  with  an 
ample  spread  of  tender  foliage,  a  terrible  blizzard  sprang 
up  in  April  and  raged  for  several  successive  days.  The 
Tulips  were  literally  blasted.  The  foliage  was  wilted  and 
blackened.  Then  a  singular  thing  happened.  Dry,  mild, 
but  windy  weather  followed.  The  affected  patches  on 
the  Tulip  foliage  shrivelled,  and  were  blown  off  by  the 
wind,  leaving  the  plants  once  more  green.  Three  or  four 
weeks  after  the  blizzard  the  evidence  of  its  evil  work 
had  disappeared.  Nor  was  the  flowering  seriously  im- 
paired, to  the  best  of  my  judgment.  It  is  true  that  when 
the  flower-stems  first  appeared  they  were  so  puny,  and 
the  buds  so  small,  that  a  poor  blooming  season  seemed 
to  be  inevitable.  But  they  improved  as  they  developed. 
It  was  as  though  the  bulb  below  gathered  fresh  energy 
with  every  succeeding  day.  Ultimately  the  plants  were 
as  good  as  ever. 

The  recuperative  power  of  the  May-flowering  Tulip, 


i  yo  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

whether  of  the  Cottage  or  Darwin  section,  is  one  of  its 
great  assets.  And  when  once  it  begins  to  bloom  it  im- 
proves day  by  day.  The  flowers  increase  in  size.  Fresh 
blooms  follow  each  other  in  steady  succession.  The  thick 
texture  of  the  petals  ensures  durability,  even  under  hot 
sunshine.  When,  however,  the  flowers  at  last  begin  to 
fall  there  should  be  no  hesitation  about  removing  the 
stems,  and  they  should  be  snapped  off  low  down  near 
the  leaves,  so  that  there  may  be  as  little  unsightliness  as 
possible.  Observe,  the  plant  itself  should  not  be  broken 
off,  and  while  that  is  easily  avoided  it  is  also  easily  done 
by  a  careless  action.  The  lowest  leaf  on  the  plant  is 
particularly  important,  because  it  is  the  principal  bulb- 
feeder.  Probably  if  all  the  foliage  except  this  basal  leaf 
were  removed  the  plants  would  still  do  well,  but  to  be 
on  the  safe  side  the  grower  should  preserve  all  the  foliage 
until  it  turns  yellow.  At  that  stage  the  sooner  it  is  re- 
moved the  better,  for  it  is  of  no  more  value  to  the  bulbs, 
and  is  unsightly.  Where  there  are  many  large  clumps  of 
Tulips  in  a  border  it  behoves  the  gardener  to  be  on  the 
alert  about  this  matter.  It  is  not  good  gardening  to 
leave  decaying  masses  of  foliage  long  after  their  work  is 
finished. 

The  non-lifting  system  has  disadvantages,  and  one  is 
that  the  grower  is  largely  dependent  on  his  labels  for  a 
considerable  part  of  the  year.  There  are  Tulip-lovers  so 
enthusiastic,  and  blessed  with  so  good  a  memory,  that 
they  know,  not  only  the  exact  position  of  every  clump 
when  the  plants  are  dormant,  but  also  of  every  variety. 
But  others  are  not  so  fortunate,  and  it  behoves  them 
to  keep  a  jealous  eye  on  the  labels,  never  letting  them 
become  displaced  or  illegible.  Particular  care  is  neces- 
sary in  a  dry  summer,  when  the  labels  are  apt  to  be 
broken,  and  not  only  that,  but  hard  to  replace  in  baked 


THE   NEW   TULIP-GROWING        171 

ground.    Apropos  of  the  latter,  the  soil  will  never  become 
seriously  caked  if  the  hoe  is  used  regularly. 

In  proceeding  to  name  some  of  the  best  varieties  of 
May-blooming  Tulips  I  will  not  attempt  to  distinguish 
between  the  so-called  "  Cottage  "  and  the  "  Darwin  " 
varieties.  These  names  have  very  little  meaning,  and 
certainly  have  no  importance  for  garden  purposes.  Nomi- 
nally, the  "  Cottage  "  Tulips  are  varieties  collected  from 
cottage  gardens,  where  they  were  supposed  to  have 
grown,  neglected  and  overlooked  by  flower-lovers,  for 
many  generations.  Very  few  modern  May-blooming 
Tulips  ever  saw  the  inside  of  a  cottage-garden  ;  they  are 
florists'  creations.  The  Darwins  were  so  named  arbi- 
trarily, but  not  inaptly,  by  the  Dutch  bulb-grower 
Krelage.  As  a  whole  their  flowers  in  the  young  stage 
are  more  pointed  than  those  of  the  Cottage  varieties, 
but  all  have  sprung  from  Gesneriana. 

Pride  of  Haarlem. — This  is  perhaps  the  finest  Tulip 
grown  ;  the  large,  brilliant,  crimson  flowers  are  borne  on 
tall,  strong  stems  ;  it  is  a  noble  sort  and  makes  splendid 
clumps. 

Baronne  de  la  Tonnaye. — Crimson  with  pale  edge;  a 
good,  inexpensive  variety. 

La  Tulipe  Noire. — Very  dark  crimson. 

Walter  T.  Ware. — Rich  deep  yellow,  suffused  with 
orange,  a  much  riper  colour  than  Mrs.  Moon,  Gesneriana 
lutea,  Inglescombe  Yellow,  etc.,  and  a  fine  flower. 

Sensation. — Bronzy  yellow,  one  of  a  colour  that  is  now 
very  popular. 

Clara  Butt. — Brilliant  salmon-rose,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  varieties  grown. 

Ravenswing. — The  colour  of  a  purple  Plum. 

Bronze  Queen.— Light  bronze,  of  the  same  class  as 
Sensation,  but  distinct. 


172  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Erguste. — A  swarthy  flower  somewhat  resembling  the 
well-known  variety  Rev.  H.  Ewbank. 

Fra  Angelica. — Purple  ;  a  fairly  early  bloomer. 

La  Candeur. — A  massive  white. 

Wilberforce. — A  good  bronze. 

Gesneriana  major  and  G.  lutea. — Giant  scarlet  and 
yellow  respectively. 

Louis  XIV. — A  fine  dark  bronze. 

Sunset. — Apricot  colour. 

Loveliness. — Soft  rose,  not  very  large,  but  pleasing 
because  of  its  charming  colour. 

La  Tristesse. — Purplish  grey. 

Massenet. — White  with  rosy  exterior ;  a  remarkable 
Tulip,  reminding  one  of  a  Water  Lily. 

Norma. — A  good  bright  rose. 

Bouton  d'Or. — One  of  the  best  of  the  deep  yellows, 
richer  in  colour,  though  not  larger,  than  Gesneriana 
lutea. 

Velvet  King. — A  good  dark  purple. 

Calypso. — Soft  pink. 

Golden  Goblet. — Another  of  the  long  list  of  good  yellows; 
a  very  solid  flower. 

Beethoven. — Lilac-rose. 

Mr.  Farncombe  Sanders. — Crimson  with  white  centre. 

Inglescombe  Scarlet. — A  good  scarlet. 

Rev.  H.  Ewbank. — Purplish  lilac. 

Didieri  alba. — Smaller  than  La  Candeur,  but  a  very 
good  white,  and  sweet. 

La  Merveille. — Salmon-bronze,  not  of  the  finest  quality, 
but  fairly  early,  very  free-blooming,  and  sweet. 

It  may  be  well  to  complete  the  remarks  on  Tulips  by 
naming  a  few  early  varieties  of  special  interest,  which 
may  be  added  to  the  standard  sorts  such  as  Chrysolora, 
Cottage  Maid,  Thomas  Moore,  White  Pottebakker, 


THE   NEW   TULIP-GROWING        173 

Crimson  King,  Joost  van  Vondel,  Keizer's  Kroon,  Ophir 
d'Or,  Prince  of  Austria,  Proserpine  and  Vermilion 
Brilliant. 

Unique. — White  with  yellow  flame ;  reminds  one  of  the 
older  but  not  universally  known  variety  Brunhilde. 

Pink  Beauty. — Deep  rosy  red  with  white  flush,  large, 
good  stalk,  one  of  the  best. 

Couleur  de  Cardinal. — Cardinal,  with  a  warm  violet 
glow  on  the  outer  petals  and  flower-stem.  Owing  to  the 
very  low  position  of  the  feeder  leaf  (which,  as  mentioned 
above,  must  always  be  preserved),  it  is  a  good  variety  for 
cutting  ;  it  makes  very  few  offsets  and  cannot  therefore 
be  a  cheap  variety,  but  the  colour  is  wonderful. 

Alba  Regalis. — Cream,  stiff  stalk. 

La  Boule  d'Or. — Yellow,  petal  pointed  and  reflexed. 

Fred  Moore. — Bright  orange,  an  improved  Thomas 
Moore,  itself  one  of  the  best  of  all  early  Tulips. 

Hector. — Carmine,  shaded  plum,  yellow  edge,  a  variety 
of  exquisite  beauty. 

Le  Reve. — Lilac,  good  for  pot  culture. 

Dussart. — Large  crimson,  a  grand  bedder. 

Royal  White. — This  charming  variety  resembles  a  half- 
submerged  Water  Lily. 

Prince  de  Ligny. — One  of  the  best  yellows. 

White  Swan. — In  spite  of  the  undoubted  merits  of 
White  Pottebakker,  White  Hawk,  etc.,  I  am  disposed  to 
give  White  Swan  pride  of  place  among  the  early  white 
Tulips.  The  flowers  are  large,  egg-shaped,  very  solid, 
and  borne  on  splendid  stems — a  lovely  variety. 

Crimson  King. — Dwarf,  the  best  variety  for  window 
boxes. 

Retroflexa. — Tall  yellow,  very  good  for  cutting. 

Koh-i-noor. — Dark  red  suffused  with  violet,  glossy. 

To  the  stock  doubles,   such  as  Tournesol,   Salvator 


174  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Rosa,  Imperator  Rubrorum,  Couronne  des  Roses, 
Blanche  Hative  and  Le  Blason  may  be  added  : 

Double  Queen  of  the  Netherlands. — Tinted  white,  good 
for  bowls. 

Safrano. — Saffron,  flushed  with  crimson  when  de- 
veloped, resembles  a  Tea  Rose. 

Princess  Clotilde. — Cerise. 

Golden  King. — A  yellow  sport  from  Tournesol. 

Lord  Beaconsfield. — Cerise,  good  for  bowls. 

All  of  these  are  beautiful  Tulips. 

Disease  in  Tulips  can  be  checked  by  syringing  the 
plants  at  the  first  stage  of  attack  with  fresh  liver  of 
sulphur  (sulphide  of  potassium),  one  ounce  dissolved  in 
three  gallons  of  water. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   NEW  DAFFODIL-GROWING 

IT  is  only  when  we  see  Daffodils  nodding  carelessly  over 
the  grass  in  an  almost  riotous  abandonment  of  joy  that 
we  realize  how  perfect  an  environment  for  them  is  the 
green  turf.  Naturalized  on  the  rougher  parts  of  the 
lawn,  or  in  pasture,  they  are  so  entirely  at  one  with  their 
surroundings  as  to  give  an  assurance  of  complete  happi- 
ness. Seeing  such  a  picture,  the  flower-lover  may  well 
ask  himself  whether  he  is  wise  in  spending  so  much  time, 
labour  and  money  on  the  complete  subjugation  of  grass  ; 
and  whether  he  would  not  act  wisely  in  restricting  the 
area  of  dressed  turf.  True,  regularly  mown  and  trimmed 
grass  has  a  refined  and  finished  appearance,  and  the 
portions  of  lawn  near  the  house,  also  the  margins  of 
drives,  may  be  dressed.  But  the  more  remote  portions 
might  well  be  planted  with  beautiful  flowers,  such  as 
Snowdrops,  Crocuses,  Daffodils  and  Bluebells,  and  kept 
down  only  with  the  scythe. 

There  is  both  beauty  and — after  the  first  outlay — 
economy  in  this  method  of  dealing  with  grass.  There 
will  be  no  labour  in  it  until  early  summer.  No  longer 
will  the  whir  of  the  mowing-machine  be  heard  with  the 
first  note  of  the  cuckoo  in  spring.  Wheelbarrow,  broom 
and  edging  shears  will  intrude  their  incongruous  presence 
no  more.  When  the  last  pure  blossoms  of  the  Poet's 
Narcissus  have  drooped  their  heads,  when  the  trees  are 

J75 


176  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

aleaf  and  the  hedges  are  thick  enough  for  the  suspicious 
and  clangorous  blackbird  to  build  her  nest — then,  and  not 
before,  will  come  the  time  of  the  grass  to  fall.  And  it 
will  sink,  not  in  flying  fragments  under  the  rotary  blades, 
but  in  gentle  swathes  under  the  soft  swish  of  the  scythe, 
carrying  with  it  the  fading  leaves  of  the  bulbs. 

The  new  Daffodil-growing  is  not  a  costly  proceeding, 
even  at  the  outset,  for  the  best  Daffodils  to  plant  in  grass 
are  comparatively  old  kinds  which  multiply  so  fast  in 
the  hands  of  trade-growers  that  they  are  available  at 
rates  which  place  them  in  quantity  at  the  service  of  the 
poorest  flower-lover.  There  are  none  better  for  the 
purpose  than  the  Lent  Lily,  poeticus,  Barri  conspicuus, 
Horsefieldi  and  Emperor — all  cheap  and  vigorous  kinds. 
The  planting  does  not  entail  a  laborious  upheaval  of 
turf  if  a  Barr  bulb-planter  be  employed.  The  kinds 
should  not  be  mixed,  but  each  should  be  planted  in 
groups  to  itself,  so  that  colonies  may  be  formed.  In  all 
but  the  poorest  and  driest  of  soils  they  will  establish 
themselves  readily  and  increase  from  year  to  year. 

The  use  of  Daffodils  in  herbaceous  borders  has  been 
referred  to  in  chapter  in.  The  bulb-lover  should  never 
hesitate  to  put  Daffodils  in  his  borders  on  the  ground 
that  they  may  suffer  injury  while  dormant.  Naturally 
he  will  not  entrust  amongst  the  robust  occupant  of  a 
border  those  newest  of  the  new  varieties  which  cost  him 
several  guineas  per  bulb  ;  for  these  he  will  reserve  a 
special  bed,  which  no  hand  but  his  own  is  allowed  to 
cultivate  ;  or  perhaps  he  will  grow  them  in  pots.  What- 
ever we  may  do  in  providing  special  beds  for  Daffodils 
we  cannot  forgo  them  entirely  in  the  borders,  where  they 
are  so  cheering  in  the  spring.  Such  disturbance  as  they 
may  be  subjected  to  in  the  autumn  does  them  little 
harm  if  any  bulbs  which  are  dislodged  are  replanted 


THE   NEW   DAFFODIL-GROWING     177 

quickly,  indeed,  the  reminder  of  their  existence  which  is 
thus  given  may  lead  to  actual  benefit  if  it  secures  for 
them  a  spadeful  or  two  of  fresh,  sandy  soil  and  decayed 
manure  or  a  dash  of  bone  meal.  In  the  border,  then,  as 
well  as  in  grass,  in  beds,  in  the  rock  garden,  and  in  the 
woodland,  will  we  grow  these  beautiful  flowers. 

The  modern  development  of  the  Daffodil  has  elevated 
it  to  the  rank  of  the  Rose,  the  Carnation  and  the  Sweet 
Pea  ;  and  it  has  given  us  the  same  embarrassing  problem, 
namely,  to  find  room  for  such  varieties  as  take  our  fancy 
without  expelling  older  sorts  that  are  still  good.  The 
Daffodil  is  not  a  plant  that  degenerates  quickly.  The 
old  kinds  are  as  strong  as  ever  they  were.  If  I  were  asked 
to  say  what  I  thought  was  absolutely  the  most  vigorous, 
free-blooming  and  durable  of  all  the  Narcissi,  I  should 
hesitate  between  Sir  Watkin,  Barri  conspicuus  and 
rugulosus,  the  last  a  variety  of  the  fragrant  odorus 
section  (single  Jonquil),  which  grows  on  any  soil,  blooms 
freely,  and  keeps  fresh  after  other  varieties  which  came 
into  flower  at  the  same  season  are  long  past.  And  all 
these  are  old,  cheap  sorts. 

Those  who  would  specialize  Daffodils  must  bed  them ; 
only  thus  can  they  conveniently  handle  a  collection  of 
modern  sorts.  The  difficulty  comes  in  when  the  bloom 
is  over,  for  the  plants  are  none  too  sightly  late  in  spring 
when  the  foliage  is  yellowing,  while  the  soil  is  bare  in 
summer.  Daffodil  experts,  who  are  not,  as  a  rule, 
flower-gardeners,  do  not  recognize  this  trouble ;  they 
ignore  it ;  they  just  let  the  beds  be.  But  a  person  who 
is  as  keen  a  flower-gardener  in  summer  as  he  is  Daffodil- 
lover  in  spring  feels  the  situation ;  it  hurts  him ;  he 
wants  to  see  those  beds  as  cheerful  with  some  good 
flowers  in  July  as  they  were  with  Daffodils  in  April.  If 
the  Daffodils  are  put  in  close  lines,  as  the  expert  puts 
M 


178  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

them,  this  can  only  be  ensured  by  clearing  the  whole  bed 
while  the  Daffodils  are  still  growing  and  replanting  it. 
This  is  not  good  for  the  bulbs,  and,  what  is  more,  it  takes 
up  a  great  deal  of  time.  Therefore  I  say :  Abjure  the 
line  system,  and  plant  the  Daffodils  in  clumps.  Do  not 
crowd  the  clumps,  leave  good,  hearty  spaces  between 
them.  A  bed  of  clumps  looks  as  well  as  a  bed  of  lines, 
and  it  has  this  advantage,  that  in  the  spring — or  in  the 
autumn  for  the  matter  of  that — there  can  be  put  between 
the  clumps  seedlings  of  some  favourite  flower  which  will 
make  the  bed  beautiful  in  summer. 

It  is  wrong  to  carry  the  specialization  of  any  flower  to 
such  an  extreme  that  through  the  precious  summer 
months  large  areas  of  ground  are  bare.  One  who  practises 
this  may  be  a  good  Daffodil-grower,  but  he  is  a  very  poor 
flower-gardener.  He  should,  however,  be  good  in  both 
capacities.  To  mention  only  one  plant  that  is  suitable 
for  setting  in  Daffodil  beds  for  summer  beauty  there  is 
the  Sweet  William,  which  has  found  a  new  lease  of  life  in 
the  beautiful  self  forms,  particularly  salmon-pink  and 
scarlet,  which  have  been  developed,  and  which  come 
true  from  seed.  Why  not  a  reserve  bed  of  Sweet  Williams 
in  every  flower-garden,  sown  in  early  summer,  and 
drawn  from  as  occasion  arises  ? 

Even  when  we  make  beds  for  Daffodils  we  are  still 
embarrassed  with  the  multitude  of  sorts.  One  hesitates 
to  say  that  there  are  too  many,  since  all  are  beautiful, 
but  the  problem  of  choice  becomes  yearly  more  acute. 
In  picking  out  a  few  varieties  I  can  but  say  that  they  are 
good,  I  cannot  say  that  they  are  the  only  ones  worth 
growing. 

What  under  the  old  classification  was  the  Medio  class 
gives  us  some  of  the  most  beautiful  of  our  Daffodils.  I 
may  instance  Lady  Margaret  Boscawen,  white  with 


THE   NEW  DAFFODIL-GROWING     179 

yellow  crown,  a  truly  splendid  flower ;  Bernardino, 
white  with  salmon  crown,  of  fine  quality  ;  White  Queen, 
ivory,  frilled  crown,  a  chaste  and  lovely  flower ;  Home- 
spun, lemon  with  yellow  crown,  of  beautiful  form ; 
Evangeline,  almost  like  a  white  Homespun ;  Seagull, 
pale  lemon ;  and  C.  J.  Backhouse,  canary  with  salmon 
crown.  And  always  in  the  running  is  the  great  Sir 
Watkin. 

The  poeticus  group  is  a  power  in  itself.  Here  we  find 
such  good  things  as  Cassandra,  a  neat  flower,  but  none 
too  strong  a  grower ;  Ben  Jonson,  a  flower  of  the  best 
quality,  and  a  strong,  free  bloomer ;  Sonnet,  noteworthy 
for  its  long  stalk ;  Virgil,  bright  red  cup,  a  smooth  re- 
fined flower;  Herrick,  flat,  well  rounded;  and  Horace, 
a  bloom  of  the  best  quality.  But  there  are  newer  sorts 
than  these. 

For  rich  garden  effect  there  is  nothing  to  equal  the 
large  trumpets.  Among  the  cheap  yellows  Emperor, 
Golden  Spur  and  Henry  Irving  are  as  good  as  ever,  but 
specialists  feel  no  interest  in  them,  although  they  are  all 
agog  about  King  Alfred,  a  noble  flower,  but  costly.  Those 
who  seek  fine  yellow  trumpets  of  modern  interest  that 
are  not  dear  might  consider  Admiral  Togo  and  Golden 
Bell.  I  know  of  no  better  garden  Daffodil  than  the 
latter,  for  it  is  strong  and  free,  with  a  rich  colour.  Madame 
de  Graaff  and  Treasure  Trove  are  excellent  paler  forms, 
the  former  nearly  white,  the  latter  opening  lemon  and 
going  off  pure  white ;  it  is  a  slender  sort.  The  little 
W.  P.  Milner,  which  is  practically  a  miniature  Madame 
de  Graaff,  is  useful  for  small  vases.  Princess  Ida  is 
another  charming  miniature,  with  ivory-coloured  flowers. 

The  two-coloured  trumpets  (Bicolors),  of  the  type  of 
Empress  and  Horsefieldi  (the  latter  a  little  the  earlier  of 
the  two,  but  otherwise  very  like  the  former),  are  as  be- 


i8o  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

wildering  as  the  yellows.  I  am  disposed  to  assess  Victoria 
as  tlie  best  of  the  cheap  Bicolors,  for  it  blooms  more 
freely,  and  has  a  larger  flower,  than  either  Empress  or 
Horsefieldii.  Its  extreme  vigour  finds  somewhat  un- 
desirable expression  in  rich  soil,  where  it  produces  an 
enormous  number  of  little  sprayey  offsets,  and  takes  five 
years  to  make  a  good  bulb  ;  it  should  be  planted  quite 
six  inches  deep.  It  is  a  case  of  rather  poor  soil  being 
best.  Of  the  medium  price  varieties  Madame  Plemp 
and  J.  B.  M.  Camm  are  good ;  and  of  the  dearer  ones 
Weardale  Perfection  and  Duke  of  Bedford  claim  notice. 

The  Leedsi  and  Barri  varieties,  hybrids  of  the  medium 
crown  section,  give  us  some  lovely  Daffodils.  I  may 
instance  White  Lady,  a  sweet  and  delicate  tone  of  colour, 
Waterwitch,  white,  drooping,  a  hybrid  of  Leedsi  and 
triandrus,  the  weeping  flowers  pure  as  snow ;  Duchess 
of  Westminster,  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  section,  and  still 
one  of  the  best,  white  with  canary  cup  ;  Gem,  a  pure 
white ;  Alabaster,  a  hybrid  of  Leedsi  and  triandrus, 
pure  white ;  Barri  conspicuus,  about  the  cheapest 
Daffodil  grown,  and  one  of  the  finest,  a  lovely  flower 
with  yellow  petals  and  orange  crown,  a  tall,  strong 
grower  and  abundant  bloomer ;  Barri  Albatross,  the 
cup  of  which  is  edged  with  red  ;  Barri  Dorothy  Wemyss, 
salmon  crown,  a  long-stemmed,  late-blooming  variety  ; 
and  Barri  Flora  Wilson,  a  dwarf  white  variety  with 
salmon  cup. 

The  list  is  still  incomplete,  for  there  are  the  lovely 
Burbidgei  variety  Rosalind,  with  orange  eye ;  the 
brilliant  Engleheartii  Chough,  with  rich  orange  crown  ; 
the  exquisite  Incognita,  primrose  with  apricot  crown,  a 
sort  of  the  first  quality ;  Firebrand,  cream  petals  and 
deep  red  cup  ;  and  Will  Scarlett,  cream  petals  and  deep 
red  cup. 


THE   NEW   DAFFODIL-GROWING     181 

There  remain,  too,  the  hybrids  of  the  Poet's  and  the 
Bunch-flowered  Daffodils,  called  the  Poetaz  section, 
which  are  free  bloomers  and  bright  in  colour.  Klondyke, 
lemon  with  citron  cup,  and  Elvira,  white  with  yellow 
cup,  call  for  notice  in  this  class. 

The  foregoing  list  embraces  the  finest  varieties  of  their 
respective  sections,  but  it  is  far  from  exhausting  the  good 
sorts,  as  those  will  find  who  open  the  catalogue  of  one  of 
the  largest  dealers.  However,  it  may  be  fairly  said  to 
represent  the  modern  standard  of  Daffodil  development. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  JAPANESE   GARDEN 

AT  an  epoch  when  every  phase  of  gardening  receives 
attention,  it  is  inevitable  that  a  style  so  markedly  dis- 
tinct as  that  of  Japan  should  arouse  interest. 

The  new  world  power  of  the  Far  East  has  developed 
a  school  of  gardening  which  admirably  illustrates  her 
genius  for  organization  and  proportion.  It  is  truly 
National,  for  it  possesses  characteristics  which  differ 
widely  from  the  prevailing  styles  in  the  countries  of  the 
West. 

Admirable  proportion  in  every  detail  is  one  of  the 
distinguishing  traits  of  the  Japanese  gardener.  Guided 
by  this  he  is  able  to  make  a  satisfying  garden  out  of  an 
area  of  earth  which  in  European  hands  would  probably 
be  thought  of  no  value  save  as  a  yard  for  lumber  and 
refuse. 

Every  good  garden  must  necessarily  have  its  "  rubbish 
corner."  In  a  well-managed  garden  Roses  and  shrubs 
are  pruned,  herbaceous  plants  are  cut  down  in  their 
season,  non-returnable  boxes  of  too  flimsy  construction 
to  be  of  permanent  value  bring  bulbs,  seeds  and  plants. 
Such  prunings,  clippings,  boxes  and  old  packing  material 
generally  constitute  with  other  things  "  garden  rubbish," 
which  is  allowed  to  accumulate,  in  many  cases  in  a  con- 
spicuous place,  until  it  attains  to  considerable  bulk,  and 
so  becomes  an  eyesore  and  an  offence. 

182 


THE   JAPANESE   GARDEN  183 

It  is  precisely  this  piece  of  worse  than  waste  which 
the  Japanese  florist  would  seize  upon  and  transform 
into  a  beautiful  and  harmonious  garden.  Entire  and 
perfect  in  itself,  it  would  add  a  new  and  beautiful  feature 
to  the  establishment. 

The  Western  gardener  should  hasten  to  acknowledge 
that  in  the  sense  of  order,  proportion  and  completeness 
the  Japanese  is  his  superior.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  see 
in  the  gardens  of  the  West  a  large  and  bold  scheme  of 
treatment,  and  an  admirably  grown  collection  of  plants, 
marred  by  what  might  be  termed  a  "  ragged  end."  Some 
alien  and  incongruous  element  is  allowed  to  obtrude 
itself.  The  scheme  of  the  garden  is  not  worked  out  to 
the  last  detail.  The  same  gardener  who  will  grow  a 
magnificent  assortment  of  Roses,  herbaceous  plants, 
Carnations,  shrubs  and  other  of  the  great  things  of  the 
garden  will  frequently  allow  empty  seed  pockets,  old 
flower-stakes  and  prunings  to  lie  littered  about  the  paths, 
and  will  permit  his  "  rubbish  corner  "  to  become  a  con- 
spicuous congested  mass  of  unseemly  and  ill-smelling 
corruption. 

In  this  respect,  if  in  no  other,  the  methods  of  the 
Japanese  are  worthy  of  study.  Whatever  opinions  we 
may  hold  as  to  his  style,  we  are  bound  to  admit  that  it 
is  coherent,  proportioned  and  well-finished.  We  may 
say  that  the  garden  which  he  makes  is  neither  formal 
nor  natural,  that  it  is  a  hybrid  construction,  and  that 
the  handiwork  of  the  gardener  is  plainly  discernible  in 
the  efforts  which  he  has  made  to  copy  nature ;  but  we 
must  acknowledge  that  it  is  really  a  garden. 

When  the  Japanese  makes  a  garden  he  takes  care  to 
attempt  no  design  which  he  cannot  carry  through. 
Rather  than  leave  his  task  incomplete  and  imperfect  he 
will  content  himself  with  an  area  which  the  Western 


184  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

gardener  would  despise.  Admittedly  much  of  the  garden- 
ing of  the  East  partakes  of  the  toy  order,  and  I  am  far 
from  suggesting  that  it  should  be  taken  as  a  model  for 
gardening  in  Europe  and  America  ;  but  the  point  remains 
sound — that  proper  proportion,  completeness  and  finish 
are  worthy  of  our  most  careful  consideration.  It  is  the 
small  garden  which  teaches  the  most  valuable  lesson  in 
this  respect,  for  we  can  obtain  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the 
whole  of  it ;  but  the  best  lesson  thus  learned  can  be 
applied  in  larger  areas. 

In  speaking  of  modern  garden  art  I  have  deprecated 
a  beginner  tying  himself  to  a  design  unless  he  has  the 
guidance  of  an  expert  landscape  gardener,  and  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  examples  of  Japanese  gardening 
which  we  see  in  the  West  are  the  work  of  Japan's  most 
skilful  horticulturists.  But  a  person  may  acquire  a  sense 
of  harmony  and  finish  without  being  a  trained  gardener. 
He  or  she  may  possess  an  eye  for  colour  and  the  trained 
intelligence  which  revolts  at  "  ragged  ends "  without 
having  a  lifetime  of  gardening  experience.  And  I  say 
unhesitatingly  that  a  person  who  will  acquire  those 
qualities  and  at  the  same  time  study  the  cultural  re- 
quirements of  plants  must  inevitably  become  a  successful 
flower-gardener.  Design  follows  naturally.  What  is 
design  but  the  harmonious  arrangement  of  plants  ?  If 
it  is  not  that  it  is  nothing. 

Having  made  full  acknowledgment  of  the  value  of  the 
lessons  which  the  Japanese  gardeners  teach  us  I  pass  on 
to  make  a  guarded  criticism  of  Japanese  gardening — 
guarded,  because  I  have  not  yet  had  the  privilege  of 
visiting  Japan,  and  have  only  examples  of  the  work  of 
her  gardeners  in  the  West  on  which  to  speak.  I  readily 
admit  that  in  such  circumstances  unrestrained  criticism 
would  be  presumptuous,  but  I  feel  that  I  am  justified  in 


THE  JAPANESE   GARDEN  185 

asking  if  design  does  not  play  almost  too  large  a  part  in 
Japanese  gardening  ?  Does  it  not  almost  override  the 
plants  ?  Is  not  the  Japanese  gardener  apt  to  be  so  well 
satisfied  with  his  admirably  proportioned  scheme  as  to 
give  inadequate  attention  to  the  culture  of  the  plants  ? 
I  do  not  assert  that  it  is  so,  but  the  doubt  has  arisen  in 
my  mind,  fostered  by  what  I  have  seen.  If  there  is  any- 
thing in  it  our  course  is  clear — it  is  to  borrow  from  the 
Japanese  his  acknowledged  points  of  excellence,  and  to 
graft  on  to  them  our  own  admitted  skill  as  cultivators. 
Certainly  there  can  be  no  perfect  gardening  unless  the 
plants  used  are  good  examples  of  their  kind,  such  as 
the  ardent  flower-lovers  of  Britain  and  America  rejoice 
in  producing.  For  my  own  part,  if  completeness  and 
good  culture  could  not  go  together  I  would  not  hesitate 
to  sacrifice  the  former ;  but  it  is  unthinkable  that  the 
person  who  has  the  inherent  capacity  to  learn  successful 
plant-culture  has  not  also  the  latent  power  of  acquiring 
a  sense  of  harmony  and  finish. 

There  is  an  element  of  the  mechanical  about  Japanese 
gardening,  so  far  as  I  am  acquainted  with  it,  which  we 
must  recognize  just  as  honestly  as  we  must  acknowledge 
its  order.  It  may  be  suggested  that  this  display  of  obvious 
craftsmanship  arises  out  of  the  design,  and  is  an  insepar- 
able part  of  it.  I  hesitate  to  accept  the  suggestion.  If" 
it  exists  at  all  it  exists  because  the  gardener  has  become 
too  completely  merged  in  the  draughtsman.  But  the 
earnest  flower-lover  will  always  become  paramount. 
Given  a  due  appreciation  for,  and  an  adequate  skill  in 
growing,  plants,  the  floral  features  of  the  garden  will 
swiftly  obliterate  all  traces  of  the  craft  which  called  it 
into  being.  It  is  not  the  little  stream,  with  its  miniature 
bridge,  which  will  first  catch  the  eye,  but  the  plants 
growing  in  and  around  it.  The  open-sided  tea-house  on 


1 86  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

its  knoll  will  not  look  artificial — will  hardly,  indeed,  be 
noticeable  at  all,  because  of  the  flowers  on  it. 

With  these  good  qualities  and  defects  before  us  we 
may  well  consider  whether  it  would  be  worth  our  while 
to  lay  out  our  garden  on  the  Japanese  plan.  I  am  probably 
voicing  the  feelings  of  the  majority  of  flower-lovers  when 
I  say  that  we  should  do  best  to  consider  the  Japanese 
garden  as  an  annexe  to  the  garden  rather  than  as  the 
garden  itself.  The  Japanese  garden  lends  itself  admirably 
to  construction  as  a  special  feature.  It  might  be  made 
a  separate  part  of  a  garden,  just  as  a  Rose  garden  often 
is.  It  would  be  a  place  apart. 

There  are  strong  arguments  in  favour  of  sectionizing 
a  garden.  A  person  who  makes  separate  sections  of 
Roses,  rockeries,  Irises  and  other  special  features  in 
preference  to  adopting  one  large  scheme  which  embraces 
everything  extends  and  prolongs  the  interest  of  a  garden. 
One  glorious  coup  d'ceil  of  Roses,  rockeries,  shrubberies, 
herbaceous  borders  and  water  is  almost  bewildering. 
It  requires  the  trained  eye  of  an  artist,  used  to  visualiz- 
ing every  detail  of  a  landscape  with  one  rapid  look,  to 
appreciate  it  properly. 

It  is  especially  in  small  gardens  that  sectionizing  is 
advantageous.  Except  for  those  persons  who  are  plants- 
men  first  and  always,  and  particularly  except  for  those 
who  are  one-plant  gardeners,  lavishing  all  their  affection 
and  care  on  Roses,  Sweet  Peas,  Carnations,  or  Dahlias, 
the  interest  of  a  small  garden  evaporates  speedily  if 
every  portion  of  it  can  be  seen  at  once.  It  attains  the 
cheap  familiarity  of  a  next-door  neighbour  who  leaves 
home  at  a  fixed  moment  every  morning,  and  returns  at  a 
fixed  hour  every  night.  Divide  that  garden  (not  neces- 
sarily, or  even  preferably,  with  stiff  and  mechanical 
substances)  into  departments,  and  the  interest  is  widened. 


THE  JAPANESE   GARDEN  187 

The  mere  sight  of  a  rustic  gate,  bridge  or  hedge-gap 
stimulates.  It  suggests  a  hidden  mystery.  There  is 
something  unknown  and  undefined  beyond.  The  flower- 
lover  makes  his  perambulation  by  slow  stages,  each 
delightful,  and  each  a  stimulant  for  what  is  to  follow. 

The  Japanese  garden  never  proves  its  interest  more 
thoroughly  than  as  a  separate  section  of  a  small  garden. 
Complete  and  perfect  in  itself,  giving  a  definite  impression 
of  finality,  it  is  yet  only  an  item  in  the  complete  scheme. 
It  does  not  really  matter  how  small  it  is  ;  so  long  as  the 
proportions  of  its  ingredients  are  correct  it  will  have  the 
same  effect. 

What  are  the  features  of  a  typical  Japanese  garden  ? 
There  is  water.  It  is  not  an  ugly  pool,  stiff  in  form  and 
bare-margined,  having  a  dragged-in  appearance,  but  is 
of  irregular  shape,  probably  with  islands  carefully  pro- 
portioned to  its  size,  and  planted  with  flowers.  There 
is  probably  a  waterfall,  down  which  the  water  splashes 
softly.  There  is  almost  certainly  a  rustic  bridge,  large 
or  small  according  to  the  size  of  the  stream  which  it  spans, 
for  every  detail  must  be  in  proportion.  There  are  Alpine 
regions,  perhaps  planted  with  Firs,  and  with  foothills 
that  are  clothed  with  miniature  Pines.  A  temple  may 
rear  its  head  reflectively  among  the  trees,  or  a  gay  tea- 
house crown  a  knoll,  with  lanterns  hung  about  it.  Small 
pieces  of  glass  strung  together  overhead  will  tinkle  gently 
in  the  wind.  On  the  lower  areas  there  will  be  masses 
of  flowers — of  Azaleas,  Rhododendrons,  Cherries,  Irises 
and  Chrysanthemums  in  their  seasons,  interspersed  with 
groups  of  Bamboos,  Cryptomerias,  Retinosporas,  Cupres- 
susses  and  other  graceful  coniferous  trees.  There  will 
be  rockeries  aglow  with  bloom.  Around  the  tea-house 
may  hang  the  beautiful  mauve  clusters  of  the  Wistaria. 

In  the  Japanese  garden  where  there  is  no  room  for 


1 88  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  reproach  that  mechanical  efforts  are  too  prominent 
the  colour-scheme  of  the  flowers  will  be  progressive. 
There  will  be  different  effects  at  successive  periods  of 
the  year,  but  they  will  always  be  harmonious. 

When  a  garden  such  as  this  is  presented  on  a  very 
small  scale — when  its  total  area  is  less  than  that  of  many 
a  suburban  backyard — the  tendency  of  the  visitor  who 
sees  it  for  the  first  time,  perhaps  fresh  from  the  survey 
of  extensive  herbaceous  borders,  wide  stretches  of  lawn 
and  great  masses  of  shrubs,  is  of  interest  tinctured  by 
amusement.  It  is  as  though  the  thought,  "  Ah  !  how 
charming — as  child's  play,"  became  articulate.  He  feels 
sure  that  the  garden  would  please  his  boys  and  girls 
beyond  measure.  The  impression  is  as  of  a  kind  of 
glorified  doll's  garden. 

This  is  very  human.  It  stands  for  the  delightful 
arrogance  of  Western  civilization.  But  it  is  not  in  any 
condescending  spirit  that  the  Japanese  garden  should 
be  studied.  Genuine  art  has  gone  to  the  making  of  it. 
Its  lessons  of  harmony  and  proportion  should  be  learned. 
Its  grace  and  daintiness  should  be  accepted  as  tangible 
things.  The  whole  exotic,  alluring  and  sensuous  charm 
of  the  little  place  should  be  allowed  to  work  their  will 
with  the  mind.  Freed  from  that  species  of  indulgent 
impertinence  which  warps  judgment,  the  intelligence  of 
the  flower-lover  will  readily  adjust  itself  to  a  fresh  per- 
spective. He  will  see  in  the  garden  a  finished  work  of 
art,  as  conscientious,  as  perfect  as  a  good  painting. 
The  streams,  the  Pines,  the  flaming  Azaleas  glowing 
with  the  fires  of  sunset  skies,  the  brooding  and  serene 
temple,  the  groups  of  sombre  Firs  on  the  distant  moun- 
tain-side— all  these  will  stand  in  his  imagination  for  the 
great  realities  of  the  East. 

The  woman  flower-lover  in  particular  might  turn  her 


THE  JAPANESE   GARDEN  189 

attention  to  the  Japanese  garden,  because  its  confined 
area,  and  the  small  proportions  of  its  principal  occupants, 
fit  it  to  her  limited  physical  powers.  How  well  qualified 
she  is  to  manage  it  is  suggested  by  the  photograph  in 
this  work  of  a  small  Japanese  garden  near  Windermere, 
which  was  designed  and  constructed  by  a  lady  gardener 
who  had  seen  some  of  the  beautiful  gardens  of  Japan, 
and  longed  to  reproduce  their  charms  in  England. 

These  gardens  vividly  depict  the  spirit  of  the  East. 
They  are  instinct  with  poetic  beauty.  Their  appeal 
grows  stronger  with  time,  for  although  their  dimensions 
are  small  their  interest  is  copious  and  diverse.  If  their 
effect  is  kaleidoscopic,  then,  it  is  not  ephemeral.  The 
Japanese  garden  breathes  peace,  composure  and  harmony 
into  the  tumultuous  Western  mind,  which  is  too  often 
disordered  by  the  luxuriance  of  its  own  images. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE   NEW  USE   OF   SUN-DIALS 

DURING  long,  slow-pacing  centuries  the  sun-dial  marked 
the  passage  of  time  on  the  lichen-stained  towers  of  grey 
old  churches,  where  somnolent  owls  blinked  protestingly 
in  their  crannies  when  the  bells  were  chimed,  and  settled 
themselves  back  to  sleep  in  mute  disapproval.  The  only 
vegetation,  other  than  the  rank  grass  among  the  humps 
of  earth  that  covered  the  graves  in  the  churchyard,  whose 
progress  it  told,  was  the  Yews,  and  they  moved  with 
almost  as  complacent  a  deliberation  as  the  serene  and 
contented  years. 

The  sun-dial  rarely  penetrated  the  garden.  If  seen  at 
all  it  was  in  some  old  manorial  garden,  the  voiceless 
but  speaking  companion  of  clipped  Cypresses,  monthly 
Roses,  white  Lilies  and  Hollyhocks,  growing  in  rectangular 
beds  bordered  with  Box.  There  it  served  a  proud  and 
high-born  lady  who  made  of  it  a  mere  creature  of  the 
summer.  In  the  winter  it  stood  forlorn  and  desolate, 
the  rain  dripping  from  its  iron  nose  in  melancholy  plashes. 
During  those  shadowless  days  time  stood  still  for  it,  and 
the  flowers  slept  a  sleep  that  to  the  deserted  dial  seemed 
very  long  and  weary.  Brooding,  morose  and  sombre, 
it  rusted  in  enforced  inanition,  mourning  for  the  vanished 
power  that  made  it  articulate. 

In  modern  times  the  sun-dial  does  wider  duty.  Its 
fastness  in  the  secluded  Dutch  garden  has  been  dis- 

190 


THE   NEW   USE   OF    SUN-DIALS       191 

covered,  and  it  has  been  brought  forth  to  stand  on  a 
stone  plinth  in  the  heart  of  a  rockery,  to  form  the  centre 
of  a  Rose  garden,  and  even  to  grace  the  little  enclosure 
of  the  suburbanist. 

People  love  the  sun-dial  because  in  its  placid  and  im- 
movable composure  it  embodies  the  spirit  of  old-time 
gardening.  It  stands,  not  only  for  past  times,  but  for 
old  scents.  We  think  of  it  as  the  age-long  companion 
of  the  Clove,  the  Bergamot,  the  Southernwood,  the  Stock, 
the  Wallflower,  the  Damask  Rose,  and  other  favourites 
which  tradition  has  endeared  to  us.  Marking  the  round 
of  their  decline  and  re-birth  during  the  past  generations, 
we  feel  that,  mere  thing  of  stone  and  iron  though  it  be, 
as  silent  as  the  pyramids,  as  inscrutable  as  the  Sphinx, 
it  nevertheless  has  a  feeling  of  kinship  and  sympathy  for 
the  flowers  which  have  been  its  constant  associates. 

Let  us  put  the  sun-dial  in  our  gardens,  not  for  the 
purpose  of  usurping  the  mundane  duties  of  our  clocks 
and  watches,  but  to  remind  us  of  the  flowers  which  we 
shall  always  love,  for  the  memories  that  cling  around 
them,  and  also  to  teach  us  that  time  exists  for  other 
things  than  business  appointments  and  scrambles  to 
catch  trains.  Time  lives  for  the  trees,  the  hedges,  and 
the  flowers.  While  they  are  active  it  moves,  not  clangor- 
ously  and  breathlessly — rather  with  stately,  sedate  and 
composed  step,  as  a  queen  moves  through  the  waltz — 
but  still  moves.  When  they  fade  with  the  coming  of  frost 
it  becomes  quiescent. 

The  real  spirit  of  time  is  sympathy.  Enslaved  by 
springs  and  weights  it  may  give  the  signal  for  the  hideous 
factory  "  hooter  "  which  sends  forth  its  brazen  message 
at  six  o'clock  every  week-day  morning,  summer  and 
winter  alike,  to  draw  the  pallid  toiler  to  his  rough  and 
unloved  labour.  But  it  performs  its  uncongenial  task 


192  THE   NEW  GARDENING 

with  creaks,  groans  and  cries  of  pain.  Free  and  un- 
fettered in  the  garden,  it  steals  over  the  dial  in  silence, 
a  slow-moving  bar  that  clings  affectionately  to  each 
figure  on  the  metal  plate,  and  when  the  dark  days 
of  autumn  come  fades  gently,  almost  imperceptibly, 
into  the  gloom  that  encompasses  the  sleep  of  the 
flowers. 

The  sun-dial  is  the  true  time-giver  of  the  garden.  It 
breathes  the  spirit  of  peace.  It  is  never  in  a  hurry.  It 
is  content  to  be  entirely  inactive  for  long  spells  of  delicious 
perfumed  repose,  when  the  sun  has  sunk  below  the 
horizon  and  the  night-blooming  plants  awake.  Amongst 
our  flowers  we  want  no  other  monitor  than  that  which 
always  works  silently,  and  often  rests.  It  gives  us  the 
cue  for  our  mental  attitude.  It  turns  the  key  for  a  fresh 
outlook  on  life.  To  be  the  most  truly  beneficial  to  us 
the  garden  hours  must  be  of  a  different  quality  from 
those  of  the  street  and  market-place.  They  must  pass 
more  silently,  more  slowly.  They  must  be  serene,  re- 
flective and  composed.  It  is  because  the  sun-dial  records 
too  little  rather  than  too  much  of  the  passing  of  the 
hours  that  it  is  in  its  appropriate  place  among  the 
flowers. 

We  must  find  a  place  for  the  sun-dial  where  it  can  be 
surrounded  by  plants.  The  flowers  serve  time,  not  time 
the  flowers.  Perhaps  we  have  a  Rose  garden  whose  beds 
encircle  a  central  area  of  turf  or  gravel.  In  the  middle 
of  this  space  we  will  set  the  plinth.  Or,  in  a  smaller 
garden,  there  may  be  an  enclosure  placed  as  remote  as 
possible  from  the  street  and  even  the  dwelling,  in  order 
to  form  a  reading  nook  or  intimate  domestic  circle  ;  here 
the  sun-dial  will  form  a  suitable  centre-piece,  where 
children's  hands  may  play  with  the  slow  shadow  and 
baby  voices  call  on  it  to  move  faster. 


THE   NEW   USE   OF   SUN-DIALS      193 

We  will  search  for  appropriate  inscriptions  to  serve 
as  mottoes  for  the  dial,  and  we  shall  find  no  lack. 

I 

"Time  is 

Too  slow  for  those  who  wait, 
Too  swift  for  those  who  fear  ; 
Too  long  for  those  who  grieve, 
Too  short  for  those  who  rejoice  ; 
But  for  those  who  love 
Time  is  eternity." 

That  is  a  profound  message  for  the  flower-lover.     He 
loves,  but  fears  not. 

II 

"  Shadow  and  Sun.     So,  too,  our  lives  are  made. 
Yet  think  how  great  the  sun,  how  small  the  shade." 

And  even  amid  the  shade,  the  flowers. 

ill 

"  Hours  fly, 
Flowers  die. 
New  days, 
New  ways 
Pass  by. 
Love  stays." 

But  the  garden  hours  fly  not,  and  still  love  stays. 

IV 

Could  we  find  a  better  motto  for  the  sun-dial  than  the 
following  ? 

"  Let  others  tell  of  storms  and  showers, 
I  only  count  the  sunny  hours." 

There  are  slight  variations  on  this,  such  as  : 

v 

"  I  take  no  note  of  time  but  when  the  sun  is  shining," 

VI 
"  I  number  none  but  sunny  hours," 

N 


194  THE    NEW  GARDENING 

VII 

And  again  : 

"  I  count  only  the  hours  that  are  serene." 

VIII 

Or  we  may  see  the  Latin  equivalent  of  the  latter  : 
"  Horas  non  numero  nisi  serenas." 

IX 
Mrs.  Browning's  lines  form  a  good  motto  for  the  sun-dial 

"  See  the  shadow  on  the  dial, 
In  the  lot  of  everyone, 
Marks  the  passing  of  the  trial, 
Proves  the  presence  of  a  sun." 

X 
There  will  be  many  whose  choice  will  fall  on  : 

"  Lux  et  umbra  vicissim  sed  semper  amor." 
Which  may  be  rendered : 

"  Light  and  shade  by  turns,  but  always  love." 

XI 

"  I  am  a  Shade, 
A  Shadow,  too,  art  Thou. 
I  mark  the  Time, 
Saye  !    Gossip ! 
Doest  Thou  soe  ? " 

XII 
Another  inscription,  perhaps  as  ancient,  says  : 

"  Tyme  wanes  away 
As  flowres  decaye." 

XIII 
Here  is  an  invocation  to  the  sun  : 

"RoiSoltiU 

Dites  moi  parler" 

A  literal  translation  of  which  would  be  : 
"  King  Sol,  tell  me  to  speak.'1 


THE   NEW   USE   OF    SUN-DIALS       195 

Two  more  may  complete  the  selection : 

XIV 

"  Count  that  day  lost  whose  low  descending  sun 
Sees  from  thy  hand  no  worthy  action  done." 

XV 

"  I  stand  amid  ye  summer  flowres 
To  tell  ye  passage  of  ye  houres, 
When  winter  steals  ye  flowres  away 
I  tell  ye  passage  of  their  day. 
O  man  !  whose  fleshe  is  but  as  grasse, 
Like  summer  flowres  thy  life  shall  passe." 


CHAPTER    XV 

NEW   NAMES   AND    OLD 

THERE  are  sporadic  appeals  for  the  use  of  "  old  English  " 
names  of  plants.  They  come  intermittently,  but  per- 
sistently, like  letters  on  behalf  of  philanthropic  leagues 
and  societies.  Sometimes  they  find  their  way  into  the 
daily  papers. 

We  all  love  these  old  garden  names,  and  perhaps  those 
of  us  who  see  the  most  clearly  how  impossible  it  is  to 
banish  Latin  names  from  our  gardens  love  them  most. 
They  fall  musically  on  our  ears,  and  they  stir  our  emotions. 
After  a  lapse  of  thirty  years  a  gush  of  perfume  from  a 
nosegay  brought  into  a  room  enters  our  nostrils,  and 
without  looking,  without  a  conscious  thought,  but  with 
a  sudden  impulse  of  affectionate  emotion,  we  cry  "  Lad's- 
love." 

The  old  scent,  the  old  name — yes,  even  the  spot  where 
the  clump  beloved  in  childhood  grew — are  there,  sharp 
and  fresh  as  in  the  old  days. 

It  is  pleasant  to  savour  the  old  flower  smells,  and  to 
use  the  old  flower  names.  We  have  no  intention  of 
employing  any  other  except  when  we  are  obliged  to  do 
so.  We  should  never  dream  of  applying  Dianthus 
barbatus  to  Sweet  William,  except  in  a  botanical  treatise. 
We  are  content  to  know  that  London  Pride  is  Saxifraga 
umbrosa,  but  we  are  certainly  not  going  to  call  it  that. 
Traveller's  Joy,  Forget-me-not  and  Sweet  Sultan  satisfy 
all  our  everyday  needs. 

196 


NEW   NAMES   AND   OLD  197 

We  are  grateful  that  so  many  old  names  have  lived, 
and  we  are  tempted  to  repine  when  we  find  that  numerous 
others  have  died.  Few,  perhaps,  except  callow  students 
at  botanical  classes,  ever  feel  tempted  to  use  a  Latin 
name  in  ordinary  conversation  and  correspondence  where 
a  familiar  English  one  exists. 

We  only  protest,  if  we  protest  at  all,  when  modern 
"  popular  "  names  are  invented. 

Where,  then,  is  the  justification  for  the  sporadic  ap- 
peals to  use  English  names  which  come  to  us  as  the  years 
pass  ?  There  is  none.  They  are  journalism,  and  nothing 
more. 

It  is  a  common  delusion  that  professional  horti- 
culturists are  prone  to  use  Latin  names,  and  love  to 
force  them  down  the  throats  of  novices.  The  truth  is 
that  experts  almost  always  use  popular  names  and 
beginners  Latin  ones.  It  is  not  the  florist  of  old  standing 
who  speaks  of  Nigella  damascena,  it  is  the  young  botanical 
student  and  the  amateur  in  his  novitiate  who  wants  to 
pass  for  something  different  from  what  he  is.  The  old 
stager  is  both  glad  and  proud  to  use  the  simple  name 
Love-in-a-mist. 

It  is  the  person  who  knows  most  about  plants  who 
loves  best  to  use  the  folk  names.  He  it  is  who  is  most 
interested  in  the  origin  of  such  names.  Some  of  what 
are  spoken  of  as  "  old  English  "  names  really  came  from 
the  Latin.  Thus,  Clove  comes  from  the  Latin  clavus, 
probably  through  the  French  clou,  a  small  nail,  in  allusion 
to  the  shape  of  the  clove,  which  is  the  dried  flower-head 
of  an  Indian  tree.  Peach  is  from  the  Latin  persicum, 
the  Persian  Apple.  Opinion  may  differ  as  to  whether 
Carnation  came  from  caw,  carnis,  flesh,  in  allusion  to  the 
colour,  or  from  coronation  ;  but  there  is  some  justifica- 
tion for  the  former.  Primrose  comes  from  primus,  first, 


198  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

in  allusion  to  the  early  blooming.  Even  the  hearty  old 
word  "  manure/'  which  affects  flower,  fruit  and  vegetable 
alike,  can  be  traced  to  the  Latin  manus  through  the 
French  main,  hand,  and  ceuvre,  work ;  thus  "  manur- 
ing "  was  "  manually  working "  the  soil.  Dandelion 
comes  from  the  French  dent  de  lion  (lion's  tooth),  in 
allusion  to  the  jagged  leaf.  Nearly  every  Londoner 
knows  Birdcage  Walk  in  St.  James's  Park,  but  many  do 
not  know  that  the  name  is  horticultural  rather  than 
ornithological,  and  derives  from  the  French  bocage,  a 
shrubbery  walk. 

The  old  name  Artichoke  is  not  English  ;  it  comes  from 
the  Arabic  al  harshaff,  through  the  Latin  articiocco. 
And  in  the  Jerusalem  Artichoke — which,  it  has  been 
pungently  remarked,  is  not  an  Artichoke  and  does  not 
come  from  Jerusalem — we  have  a  truly  remarkable 
case  of  name  corruption,  for  "  Jerusalem  "  in  this  case 
came  from  the  Italian  il  girasole,  but  the  root  is  the 
Latin  gyrus,  circle,  and  sol,  sun. 

The  Damson  is  the  damascene  or  Damascus  Plum,  and 
the  Cherry  is  the  Cerasus,  from  a  town  in  Asia  Minor  of 
that  name. 

We  trace  Rhubarb  to  Rha  barbamm,  Rha  being  the 
old  name  of  the  Volga,  on  the  banks  of  which  great  river 
Rhubarb  grew.  Tansy  is  from  the  Greek  athanasia, 
immortality.  The  name  Onion  (union,  one-ness)  comes 
from  the  pearl-like  shape  of  the  bulb.  The  root  is  the 
Latin  word  unus,  one,  a  large,  single  pearl ;  note  : 

"  The  King  shall  drink  to  Hamlefs  better  breath 
And  in  the  cup  an  union  shall  he  throw" — Hamlet  V.  II. 

Truffle  comes  from  the  Italian  tartafula,  which  derives 
from  the  Latin  terra,  ground,  and  tufola,  tuber. 

Tulip,     Lavender,     Violet     and     Lily     are     common 


NEW   NAMES   AND   OLD  199 

"  English  "  names  which  came  from  exotic  sources,  as  : 
Tulip  (Tulipa)  from  thoulyban  (Persian),  a  turban; 
Lavender  from  Lavandula  (Latin)  ;  Violet  from  the 
Latin  name  Viola  ;  and  Lily  from  Lilium  (Latin).  These 
changes — where  there  are  changes — are  obvious  cor- 
ruptions. It  is  the  same  with  Rose,  Paeony  and  many 
others.  Carrot  is  not  good  English,  but  comes  from  the 
Latin  Carota,  while  Cauliflower  derives  from  the  Latin 
ca^{l^  flora — "  flower-headed."  Thyme  is  from  Thymus, 
Borage  from  B  or  ago,  Mint  from  Mentha,  again  all  exotic. 

Among  trees,  the  origin  of  Elm  (Ulmus),  Cypress 
(Cupressus),  Tamarisk  (Tamarix),  Juniper  (Juniperus) 
and  Poplar  (Populus)  is  obvious  ;  none  is  English. 

These  examples  will  show  that  a  writer  who  runs  a  tilt 
against  Latin  names  should  walk  warily,  for  the  very 
examples  which  he  is  likely  to  quote  as  good  old  English 
names  are  Latin  names  which  have  been  chipped  and 
rounded  to  fit  English  tongues. 

Admittedly  many  popular  names  are  good  English. 
We  have  a  familiar  example  in  the  Woodbine,  which 
derives  its  name  from  the  verb  bindan,  to  bind,  and 
Bindweed  comes  from  the  same  root.  The  allusion  is, 
of  course,  to  the  strong  binding  habit  of  the  twining 
shoots. 

The  Hawthorn  was  simply  the  hedge  thorn ;  from 
haga,  a  hedge.  Haw  was  haga  in  old  English.  From  the 
same  source  comes  ha-ha  (formerly  haw-haw),  a  sunk 
hedge. 

Daisy  (day's  eye)  comes  from  E age-eye  ;  Oak  from  ac 
(note  also  Acton  and  Uckfield,  towns  which  took  their 
names  from  the  Oak,  and  stand  for  oak-town  and  oak- 
field  respectively)  ;  Henbane  from  bana,  a  slayer,  in 
allusion  to  the  poisonous  nature  of  the  plant ;  Leek 
from  leac  (note  also  garlic,  hemlock  and  barley  or  barlic)  ; 


200  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  Privet  from  primet,  a  trimmed  or  "  prim  "  plant. 
Pea  is  the  modern  form  of  Pease,  which  is  not,  as  might 
be  supposed,  the  plural,  but  the  old  singular  form,  pesen 
and  peses  being  the  plurals.  Horehound  comes  from 
hoar  and  hune,  two  words  meaning  white  and  scented. 

The  old  English  name  for  a  graft  was  imp.  Note 
Chaucer's  : 

"  Of  feeble  trees  there  comen  -wretched  imps" 
AncTgrafts  are  called  imps  to  this  day  in  some  parts  of 
England. 

There  was  an  old  English  Apple  called  the  Costard, 
which  was  sold  in  the  streets  by  hawkers  or  mongers, 
and  hence  the  modern  word  costermonger. 

A  wyrt  (wort)  was  a  herb  or  plant,  and  from  this  word 
conies  orchard,  the  ortyard  or  wortyard,  literally  the 
herb  garden.  Garden  itself  came  from  the  verb  gyrd-an, 
to  surround,  and  simply  means  an  enclosed  place,  such 
as  a  yard.  Another  old  verb,  blow-an,  gave  us  bloom 
and  blossom  ("  blood,"  "  blade  "  and  "  blowsy  "  came 
from  the  same  root).  Drige  (dry)  gave  us  our  modern 
word  drugs,  literally  dry  plants. 

There  are  cases  where  a  Latin  name  in  a  popular  form 
has  superseded  an  old  English  folk  name.  Carnation  is 
an  example  of  this,  it  has  supplanted  the  older  name 
Gilliflower. 

Of  names  which  are  genuine  Anglo-Saxon,  and  differ 
little  from  the  original  form,  may  be  instanced  Bramble, 
Beech,  Yew,  Holly,  Ivy  and  Ash.  Others,  such  as  Snap- 
dragon, Cockscomb,  Hartstongue,  Snowdrop  and  Monks- 
hood,  take  their  name  from  the  appearance  of  some  part 
of  the  plant,  while  others  again,  of  which  the  Christmas 
Rose  and  the  Michaelmas  Daisy  are  familiar  examples, 
derive  their  names  from  their  flowering  period. 

The  terms  "  thrum-eyed  "  and  "  pin-eyed  "  as  applied 


NEW   NAMES   AND   OLD  201 

to  Auriculas  sometimes  arrest  attention.  A  thrum-eyed 
flower  is  one  in  which  the  style  is  short  and  the  stamens 
are  long,  protruding  and,  so  to  say,  thread-like.  "  Thrum" 
derives  from  the  Icelandic  word  thromr,  which  etymolo- 
gists connect  with  the  Latin  word  terminus,  an  end.  It 
is  applied  to  the  fringe  of  threads  remaining  on  the  beam 
of  a  loom  after  the  web  has  been  cut  away.  Any  con- 
nection between  an  Auricula  and  a  loom  seems  very 
remote,  but  here  it  is  conclusively  established.  In 
Chapman's  translation  of  the  Iliad  we  read  :  "  Tapestries 
all  golden-fringed  and  curled  with  thrums  behind." 
Our  Auriculas,  too,  are  sometimes  "  golden-fringed," 
but  the  thrums  are  in  front.  In  a  "  pin-eyed  "  flower 
the  stamens  are  short  and  perhaps  hidden  in  the  tube, 
but  the  style  is  so  long  as  to  make  the  stigma  which  it 
carries  a  conspicuous  object  in  the  flower. 

We  shall  certainly  not  love  the  old  names  of  flowers, 
whatever  their  source,  the  less  for  knowing  their  origin  ; 
but  what  we  learn  teaches  us  that  many  "  old  English  " 
names  cannot  boast  an  Anglo-Saxon  parentage,  but 
come  from  the  despised  Latin. 

"  Popular  "  names  for  flowers  are  not  making  active 
headway,  in  fact,  they  have  a  hard  struggle  to  hold  their 
own.  Within  the  past  twenty  years  a  determined  at- 
tempt has  been  made  to  establish  a  new  series  of  popular 
names,  and  it  has  been  an  almost  complete  failure.  Of 
many  hundreds  of  names  coined  to  form  a  "  popular  " 
currency  only  one  has  established  itself,  and  that  very 
insecurely.  I  refer  to  the  Tufted  Pansy.  The  name  is  a 
good  one,  but  it  had  to  compete  with  the  short  and 
pretty  Viola,  which  everybody  loved.  Be  it  noted,  too, 
that  Pansy  is  not  of  Anglo-Saxon  origin  ;  it  comes  from 
the  French  pensees,  thoughts. 

Numerous  other  coined  names  are  never  used,  unless 


202  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

it  be  by  the  parents,  who  cling  to  them  with  a  doting 
and  pathetic  affection.  The  Michaelmas  Daisy  is  still 
the  Michaelmas  Daisy,  not  the  Starwort  (another  ex- 
cellent name,  by  the  way).  The  Tiarella  is  the  Tiarella, 
not  the  Foam  Flower.  Not  one  flower-lover  in  a  hundred 
knows  what  is  meant  by  Fire  Pink,  but  all  know  Dianthus 
deltoides.  The  truth  is,  the  people  do  not  want "  popular ' ' 
names  made  for  them,  although,  in  cases,  they  like  to 
use  the  old  ones  which  have  come  down  from  their 
ancestors. 

One  fatal  defect  of  popular  names  is  that  they  only 
stand  for  the  genus,  and  do  not  provide  for  its  species 
and  varieties.  Fire  Pink  does  not  carry  us  very  far  when 
we  want  to  speak  of,  or  order  from  a  florist,  a  particular 
form  of  that  species.  And  here  let  me  point  to  a  signifi- 
cant fact :  every  florist  gives  Latin  names  priority  in 
his  catalogue.  Now,  there  is  no  sounder  business  man 
than  the  trade  plant sman.  Even  if  he  had  a  greater 
personal  liking  for  Latin  than  for  English  names — which 
he  probably  has  not — he  would  most  certainly  be  only 
too  willing  to  subordinate  it  to  the  wishes  of  his  customers. 
When  the  whole  plant  trade  prints  its  catalogues  in 
Latin  names  we  may  be  satisfied  that  they  are  necessary. 

In  the  face  of  overwhelming  evidence  such  as  this,  the 
solicitude  which  Fleet  Street  displays  sporadically  for  us 
in  respect  to  plant  names  becomes  almost  ludicrous.  Of 
so  little  importance  do  traders  find  "  popular  "  names 
that  few  go  to  the  trouble  of  publishing  an  Appendix  of 
them  in  their  catalogues,  although  this  is  not  entirely 
unknown.  The  contention  that  Latin  names  stand  in 
the  way  of  popularizing  plants  is  entirely  groundless. 
It  comes  to  this,  "  popular  English  "  names  are  markedly 
unpopular,  except  in  the  case  of  a  few  old  examples,  with 
the  vast  majority  of  the  flower-lovers  who  maintain 


NEW  NAMES   AND   OLD  203 

commercial  horticulture.  The  pork-butcher  who  objects 
to  "  them  crack  jaw  names  "  is  not  the  person  who  would 
buy  and  grow  the  plants  which  bear  them  under  what- 
ever names  they  might  be  grown.  More  congenial  than 
the  garden  to  him  is  the  bar-parlour  of  the  "Purple 
Unicorn." 

There  is  one  more  reason  why  "  popular  "  names  of 
plants  are  never  likely  to  gain  free  currency,  and  that  is 
that  they  stand  as  a  bar  to  free  intercourse  between 
people  of  different  nationalities,  and  in  these  days  of 
travel  and  cosmopolitan  talk  and  correspondence  this  is 
no  small  factor.  Flower-lovers  of  different  nationalities 
meeting  at  the  tables  and  in  the  smoking-rooms  of  hotels 
when  on  visits  to  plant  centres  may  find  a  common 
language  in  which  to  express  themselves  so  far  as  the 
ordinary  matters  of  life  are  concerned,  but  if  each  knows 
only  the  folk-names  of  his  country's  flowers  there  will  be 
no  chance  of  a  mutual  understanding  on  the  subject 
which  is  nearest  to  the  heart  of  all  parties.  When,  how- 
ever, the  Latin  names  are  used  the  only  bar  to  compre- 
hension is  the  difference  which  may  exist  between  the 
quantitative  values  of  the  vowels,  and  that  rarely  forms 
a  serious  obstacle. 

At  the  least  Latin  words  have  a  meaning,  but  Bouncing 
Bet  and  Jocund  Joan  do  not,  as  names  of  flowers,  convey 
very  much.  We  had  better,  therefore,  be  satisfied  with 
the  "  popular "  names  which  we  have  already,  and 
abstain  from  coining  more  that  nobody  wants.  Even 
uneducated  people  will  not  learn  to  love  flowers  the  more 
slowly  because  the  names  of  most  of  them  are  Latin. 
Is  it  not  among  the  daughters  of  this  class  that  we  find 
the  fewest  Janes  and  Marys,  and  the  largest  proportion 
of  Evelyns,  Gladyses  and  Dorises  ? 


CHAPTER  XVI 

NEW  BEAUTY  IN  PERGOLAS  AND  VERANDAHS 

ON  those  golden  summer  days  when  bird,  bee  and  flower 
seem  possessed  by  a  common  passion  for  the  joy  of  life 
we  like  to  turn  our  steps  towards  those  spots  in  the 
garden  where  the  shadows  live.  Near  the  verandah  they 
lie  all  but  still,  reflective  but  not  morose ;  serious,  but 
not  sombre.  Around  the  pergola,  where  the  branches  of 
the  creepers  swing  sleepily,  they  have  the  gentle  play  of 
white-banded  nuns. 

These  summer  shadows  give  a  spirit  of  peace  and 
repose  to  the  garden.  The  flowers  have  a  softened  hue, 
such  as  one  sees  in  the  Water-lilies  that  nestle,  half 
submerged,  amid  the  shelter  of  cool  reeds.  The  robin 
loves  to  swell  his  ruddy  throat  in  a  vain  attempt  to  match 
the  glow  of  the  Roses  that  twine  around  the  pillars. 
The  tits  twirl  and  bounce  in  the  twigs  and  thickets  of  the 
pergola  with  as  happy  a  freedom  as  they  play  in  the 
clumps  of  blackthorn  along  the  slow  waterways  of  the 
marshland. 

Shall  we  not,  in  the  gloomy  days  of  winter,  project  our 
thoughts  to  the  summer  and  provide  pergolas  in  gardens 
which  now  do  not  know  them  ?  Is  not  the  very  thought 
inspiring  ?  It  may  be  that  the  lethargy  of  damp  and 
heavy  surroundings  has  settled  upon  us ;  if  so,  the 
spring  to  action  in  search  of  site,  timber  and  plants  will 
send  the  spin  of  new  life  along  our  veins. 

204 


PERGOLAS  AND  VERANDAHS        205 

A  pergola  !  A  home  for  Rose  and  Clematis,  for  Jasmine 
and  Honeysuckle,  for  Tropceolum  and  Passion  Flower ! 
A  cool  covering  of  verdure  and  blossom  for  some  favourite 
path,  with  borders  of  Columbines,  Paeonies,  white  Lilies, 
tall  sky  torches  of  Delphinium,  fragrant  Phloxes  and 
sweeter  Bergamot,  Bell-flowers,  Hollyhocks,  Sweet  Peas, 
and  other  beautiful  things  !  Can  one  picture  a  garden 
so  perfect  that  a  pergola  will  not  improve  it  ? 

A  pergola  is  not  necessarily  a  costly  thing ;  why  trifle, 
therefore,  with  the  weak  compromise  of  furtive  arches 
put  into  places  where  no  arch  is  called  for,  and  where, 
consequently,  these  huddled  and  ungraceful  erections 
look  homeless  ?  Why  not  do  the  legitimate,  the  called- 
for  thing  ?  Spend  a  few  more  shillings,  stretch  poles 
from  arch  here  to  arch  yonder,  and  so  get  something 
that  is  at  once  more  coherent,  dignified  and  satisfying. 

So  long  as  the  main  supports  of  the  pergolas  are  stout 
and  well  weathered  it  will  suffice  if  they  are  set  eight  feet 
apart.  Here  let  me  utter  a  word  of  warning  with  respect 
to  oak.  Its  reputation  for  durability  is  so  high  that  it  is 
often  drawn  upon  for  uprights  without  inquiry  as  to  its 
condition.  Yet  green,  immature  Oak  may  rot  away 
almost  like  Elder.  Oak  by  all  means,  if  it  is  sound,  ripe 
and  mellow,  not  too  crooked  or  too  outrageously  dear ; 
but  Larch  or  Chestnut  for  unhesitating  preference  in  any 
case  of  doubt.  The  great  advantage  of  Oak  is  its  con- 
sistent appearance  and  its  harmonious  hue  when  barked. 
Larch  is  superior,  perhaps,  while  in  bark,  but  not  when 
the  covering  of  the  wood  has  peeled  away,  which  it  does 
sooner  or  later.  But  Larch  is  even  and  straight,  and  its 
reputation  for  softness  is  undeserved  when  well-preserved 
trunks  are  chosen.  Saplings  bought  as  they  fall  under 
the  axe  in  the  woods  soon  perish. 

The  life  of  the  uprights  can  be  prolonged  by  several 


206  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

years  if  the  part  to  be  embedded — and  that  should  be  a 
full  yard — is  properly  treated.  My  favourite  plan  is  to 
bark  the  base  with  a  billhook,  paint  it  over  with  coal-tar 
from  a  pot  heated  up  in  readiness,  and  dust  with  sand. 
A  man  will  treat  each  piece  in  this  way  in  a  very  few 
minutes.  He  must  be  taught  to  finish  off  a  little  above 
the  part  where  the  level  of  the  soil  will  come,  for  that  is 
a  vulnerable  place.  It  is  better  to  ram  the  lower  soil 
hard  round  the  base  of  the  posts,  and  so  get  them  ab- 
solutely firm,  than  to  throw  it  in  loosely,  but  the  upper 
soil  may  be  left  loose  until  the  plants  are  put  in. 

In  the  old  Italian  pergolas  one  sees  a  good  deal  of  side 
timber,  but  with  well-filled  borders  these  are  rather  a 
disadvantage  than  otherwise.  It  suffices  to  have  top 
pieces.  These  may  be  set  in  line  from  post  to  post,  and 
at  right  angles,  so  as  to  cross  the  path ;  but  I  think  the 
pergola  looks  better  if  pieces  are  also  set  transversely, 
from  the  first  left-hand  post  across  the  path  to  the  second 
right-hand,  from  the  first  right-hand  to  the  second  left- 
hand,  and  so  on  throughout.  When  these  are  covered 
there  will  be  a  canopy  of  verdure  and  blossom. 

It  may  be  objected  that  if  each  upright  has  to  support 
three  pieces,  as  it  will  under  this  arrangement,  it  must 
have  a  very  large  area  at  the  top.  Short  pieces  of  about 
two  feet  long  may,  however,  be  attached  as  carriers  for  the 
top  timbers.  The  whole  can  be  pinned  securely  together 
with  long  spikes. 

A  verandah  should  be  considered  as  a  part  of  every 
new  house,  for  in  all  but  the  coldest  months  it  is  a  super- 
numerary room,  and  it  lends  itself  to  floral  adornment, 
both  by  creepers  on  the  pillars  and  by  hanging  baskets 
from  the  roof.  It  may  be  made  into  a  cool,  airy,  fragrant 
garden-room.  I  do  not,  however,  go  to  the  extreme  of 
recommending  what  one  sometimes  sees,  a  verandah 


PERGOLAS  AND  VERANDAHS        207 

along  the  whole  front  of  a  house  the  best  rooms  of  which 
face  south,  because  I  think  one  loses  coolness  in  summer 
and  light  in  winter.  My  place  for  the  verandah  is  the 
eastern  side,  so  that  after  midday  there  is  grateful  shade. 
In  winter  the  early  sun  will  make  it  a  cheerful  place. 
The  ideal  is  a  verandah  fitted  with  a  movable  glass  front, 
which  can  be  put  into  position  in  autumn  and  removed 
in  spring. 

In  the  case  of  pergola  and  verandah  alike  we  have  the 
cheerful  thought  of  abundance  of  floral  material.  Roses 
must  receive  our  attention  first.  While  mentioning  such 
old  favourites  as  Crimson  Rambler,  Carmine  Pillar,  and 
Dorothy  Perkins  with  respect,  I  should  like  to  utter  a 
special  plea  for  less  familiar  but  wholly  beautiful  sorts 
like  American  Pillar,  Leucht stern,  Alberic  Barbier, 
Philadelphia  Rambler,  The  Lion  and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Flight. 
I  hold  that  The  Lion  is  a  finer  variety  than  Carmine 
Pillar,  Philadelphia  Rambler  than  Crimson  Rambler. 
Leuchtstern,  with  its  close  clinging  habit,  so  different 
from  the  robust  ramblers,  is  an  ideal  pillar  Rose,  for  it 
blooms  from  base  to  summit,  and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Flight  has 
the  same  merit.  The  brilliant  Wichuraiana  Excelsa  and 
the  exquisite  little  Coquina  should  be  added,  together 
with  others  of  the  Roses  recommended  in  chapter  vin. 

Clematises  rank  next  to  Roses,  and  they  give  us  a  wide 
choice,  for  not  only  are  many  of  the  species  well  worth 
growing,  but  there  are  scores  of  hybrids  and  varieties 
from  which  to  choose.  Of  the  species,  asthusifolia,  a 
graceful  plant  with  narrow-lobed  leaves  and  white,  bell- 
shaped  flowers  hanging  from  erect  peduncles  ;  coccinea, 
scarlet ;  cirrhosa,  white,  an  evergreen  ;  Flammula,  the 
white  Virgin's  Bower  and  its  variety  rubro-marginata, 
cream  with  red  margin ;  grata,  bluish  white,  scented ; 
and  montana,  white,  are  some  of  the  best.  The  last  is  a 


208  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

particularly  good  plant,  and  its  many  admirers  will  take 
note  of  the  new  varieties  rubens  and  Wilsoni,  the  former 
rosy  red,  the  latter  white,  but  larger  than  the  type  and 
blooming  later.  Among  garden  hybrids  may  be  named 
Beauty  of  Worcester,  violet-blue ;  Belle  of  Woking, 
silvery,  double ;  Duchess  of  Edinburgh,  white,  double, 
sweet ;  Fairy  Queen,  flesh,  pink  bar  ;  Jackmanii  superba, 
violet ;  J.  G.  Veitch,  lavender ;  La  Lorraine,  rose  ; 
Madame  Edouard  Andre,  red ;  Mrs.  Hope,  mauve ; 
Star  of  India,  plum,  red  bar ;  and  Venus  Victrix,  pale 
lavender. 

Actinidia  chinensis  is  a  new  climber  with  heart-shaped 
leaves  and  yellow  flowers  borne  freely  on  the  ripened 
wood,  which  may  be  planted  for  variety  on  a  large 
pergola. 

Akebia  quinata  is  an  older  plant  with  quaint  purplish 
flowers  borne  in  racemes  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  and 
scented. 

Ampelopsis  Veitchii  is  best  suited  to  a  wall,  where  its 
dark-leaved  form  purpurea  may  also  be  grown.  But  it 
could  be  used  for  a  verandah. 

Aristolochia  sipho,  the  Dutchman's  pipe,  is  hardy, 
and  may  be  selected. 

Berberidopsis  corallina  is  a  charming  evergreen  with 
crimson  flowers  at  the  ends  of  the  branches,  suitable  for 
a  sheltered  trellis  or  a  south  wall. 

The  Ivies  (Hedera)  are  commonly  restricted  to  walls, 
but  they  may  also  be  remembered  for  planting  against 
trelliswork  where  a  thick  evergreen  screen  is  wanted. 
None  grows  faster  than  the  Irish,  Hedera  Helix  canarien- 
sis,  of  which  two  good  forms  are  available  in  latifolia 
maculata  and  grandifolia  variegata.  The  giant-leaved 
species  dentata  and  its  variegated  form  are  best  on  walls. 
Pretty  small-leaved  Ivies  are  to  be  found  in  the  varieties 


BEAUTY  IN  PERGOLAS  y  VERANDAHS  209 

argentea  rubra,  maderensis  variegata,  rhomboidea  ovata, 
variegata  argentea  and  variegata  elegantissima. 

The  Winter-flowering  Jasmine,  nudiflorum,  will  not  be 
overlooked  because  of  its  pleasant  habit  of  producing  a 
shower  of  bright  yellow  flowers  during  mild  spells  of 
weather  throughout  the  winter  ;  there  is  a  yellow-leaved 
variety  named  foliis-aureis.  Officinale  is  the  common 
sweet,  white,  hardy  Jasmine ;  there  is  a  yellow-leaved 
variety  of  this  also. 

Under  the  botanist's  name  Lonicera  we  find  our  fragrant 
favourites  the  Honeysuckles.  The  common  species  is 
Periclymenum,  of  which  the  Early  Cream  and  the  Early 
Dutch  are  varieties.  Brachypoda  and  flexuosa  are  pale 
forms,  highly  perfumed,  and  in  every  way  desirable. 
The  Gold-netted  Honeysuckle,  aureo-reticulata,  is  a 
variety.  Leaf-sprays  of  this  pretty  Honeysuckle  look 
charming  in  bowls  when  mixed  with  lemon,  rose-tinted 
Snapdragons.  The  white,  winter-flowering,  scented 
Honeysuckles  are  fragrantissima  and  Standishi.  These 
are  of  shrubby  habit,  as  is  Maackii,  which  bears  trumpet- 
shaped  flowers  in  clusters. 

The  Passion  Flowers,  Passiflora  caerulea  and  its  white 
variety  Constance  Elliott,  will  only  thrive  in  mild 
districts. 

Periploca  graeca  is  an  interesting  and  little-known 
plant  of  some  beauty,  worth  planting  in  a  large  collec- 
tion. 

Polygonum  Baldschuanicum  is  a  remarkable  twiner  of 
very  rapid  growth,  which  forms  a  fleecy  mass  of  white 
blossoms  late  in  summer.  Quite  hardy,  and  admirable 
for  a  pergola,  an  arch,  a  trellis  or  a  summer-house,  it  is 
making  its  way  in  spite  of  the  handicap  of  a  long  name 
difficult  to  pronounce.  The  accent  of  the  generic  name 
is  on  the  second  of  four  syllables,  thus  :  Pol-yg(ig)-o-num. 


210  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  specific  name  is  best  dealt  with  phonetically  in  five 
syllables,  thus  :  Bald-shoo-an-ik-um. 

The  Vines  (Vitis)  present  us  with  many  beautiful 
plants,  and  the  genus  has  been  strengthened  by  the 
introduction  of  several  new  species  from  the  Far  East. 
Coignetiae  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  older  species,  bearing 
large  thick  leaves  eight  to  ten  inches  long,  which  colour 
brilliantly  in  autumn.  The  newer  species  and  varieties 
include  armata  Veitchii,  bronzy  green  in  summer  and 
crimson-lake  in  autumn  ;  flexuosa  Wilsoni,  bronzy  above, 
purplish  below ;  Henryana,  green  leaves  with  silvery 
midrib  and  veins,  red  groundwork  in  autumn  ;  Leeoides, 
pinnate  leaves,  glabrous  green  above  and  claret-coloured 
underneath ;  megalophylla,  bipinnate  glabrous  green 
leaves ;  repens,  reddish  brown,  claret  below ;  and 
Thomsoni,  a  slender  grower  with  purplish  stems  and 
leaves. 

The  Wistarias  are  suitable  for  verandahs.  The  old 
mauve  species  Sinensis  has  several  varieties,  such  as 
alba,  white ;  aurea  reticulata,  yellow  marked  leaves  ; 
and  flore  pleno,  double. 

The  Canary  Creeper,  also  Cobaea  scandens,  with  bell- 
shaped  purplish  flowers,  and  the  pretty  orange-coloured 
Eccremocurpus  scaber,  may  be  used,  and  can  be  flowered 
from  seed  in  a  few  weeks. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE   NEW   CITY   GARDEN 

THE  Garden  City  might  be  expected  to  modify  profoundly 
the  city  garden,  but  so  far  as  I  have  seen  there  is  a 
tendency  for  Garden  City  gardening  to  fall  into  two 
separate  sections,  each  acting  independently  of  the 
other  :  the  work  that  is  done  by  the  householders,  and 
that  which  is  performed  by  the  city  authorities. 

As  a  case  in  point  take  Letchworth,  in  Hertfordshire, 
England,  where  hundreds  of  householders  are  working  in 
complete  disregard  of  the  operations  of  the  founders, 
who,  to  be  sure,  did  not  proceed  at  the  outset  in  a 
manner  calculated  to  excite  enthusiastic  emulation. 
Even  at  Bournville,  which  is  far  more  a  Garden  City 
than  Letchworth,  the  same  independence  is  noticed. 

In  British  Garden  Cities  the  same  spirit  of  individualism 
shows  itself  which  sociologists  are  familiar  with  in  the 
streets  of  the  great  towns,  where  "  every  man's  house  is 
his  castle."  The  inhabitants  have  not  the  communal 
spirit.  Each  concerns  himself  with  the  management  of 
his  own  plot,  without  regard  to  the  city  as  a  whole.  Civic 
pride  is  almost  wholly  wanting.  The  individual  is  more 
sensitive  on  the  point  of  his  personal  privileges  than  on 
practical-  horticultural  socialism. 

As  one  of  those  who  believe  that  national  greatness  is 
more  likely  to  be  achieved  by  raising  the  status  of  the  indi- 
vidual (always  assuming  that  the  training  is  of  the  proper 

211 


212  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

kind)  than  by  making  rules  for  the  mass,  I  should  not, 
in  ordinary  circumstances,  be  disposed  to  deplore  this 
state  of  affairs.  I  should  always  expect  out  of  earnest, 
intelligent,  competent,  concentrated  individual  effort, 
however  isolated,  a  higher  level  of  achievement  than 
from  collective  incompetence.  The  sum  of  achievement 
is  invariably  in  obverse  ratio  to  the  amount  of  inefficient 
labour  applied  to  it.  But  it  is  hard  to  suppose  that  the 
artists,  authors,  lawyers,  bank  officials,  upper-division 
clerks  and  middle-class  professional  men  generally  who 
make  up  the  principal  part  of  the  population  of  a  Garden 
City  can  have  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  gardening  to 
present  a  high  standard  of  work.  And  with  this  doubt 
existing  a  feeling  of  confidence  about  the  horticultural 
future  of  the  Garden  City  cannot  be  entertained. 

Every  Garden  City  movement  ought  to  have  an 
Advisory  Committee  on  which  gardening  is  represented 
by  competent  and  influential  men,  pledged  to  spare  no 
effort  to  ensure  the  horticultural  features  being  both 
ample  and  harmonious.  To  lay  out  a  town  in  which 
each  dwelling  is  provided  with  a  dozen  square  perches 
of  ground,  and  each  street  planted  with  rows  of  scraggy 
Plane  trees,  is  not  to  make  a  Garden  City.  When  no  more 
than  this  is  done  the  word  "  garden/'  with  all  its  beautiful 
associations  and  attractions,  is  merely  used  as  a  bait. 

I  cannot,  in  the  first  place,  conceive  any  Garden  City 
worthy  of  the  name  which  does  not  possess  a  good  city 
garden,  however  small.  And  I  think  that  on  this  city 
garden  should  be  lavished  the  best  efforts  of  the  pro- 
moters, both  as  to  thought  and  money.  I  think  that  it 
should  be  brought  into  being  directly  the  project  is 
decided  upon,  and  that  it  should  be  found  complete,  a 
cheering  and  educational  influence,  by  the  first  resident 
who  takes  in  his  furniture.  When  I  visited  Letchworth 


THE   NEW   CITY   GARDEN          213 

four  or  five  years  after  its  foundation  I  found  nothing 
more  than  a  waste  to  represent  "  Howard  Park,"  and 
meantime  numbers  of  well-meaning  but  inexperienced 
residents  had  been  making  mournful  attempts  to  convert 
their  enclosures  into  something  worthy  of  the  name  of 
garden.  If  they  had  had  some  public  example  of  good 
work,  carried  out  under  a  trained  and  competent  com- 
mittee to  guide  them,  they  would  have  secured  better 
results  with  less  labour  and  expenditure. 

If  any  Garden  City  is  to  deserve  its  name  we  ought  to 
find  in  it  a  garden  such  as  would  afford  useful  lessons  to 
the  most  ignorant  amateur  gardener.  It  ought  to  be  so 
designed  that  it  would  afford  instant  help  to  such  a 
person.  I  cannot  conceive  anything  floricultural  more 
wholly  uninteresting,  uneducational,  and  uninspiring  than 
the  majority  of  public  gardens,  and  I  cannot  imagine 
anything  more  stimulating  and  uplifting  than  a  city 
garden  wherein  a  series  of  small  areas  were  laid  out  in 
such  ways  as  would  give  beautiful  and  satisfying  effects 
around  small  villas. 

When  I  visit  the  large  parks  where  what  is  considered 
the  best  flower-gardening  is  carried  on  I  find  much  to 
admire.  I  see  a  glorious  coup  d'ceil  of  beds,  often  taste- 
fully planted  and  nearly  always  distinguished  by  good  cul- 
ture. So  far  good.  But  when  I  ask  myself  what  practical 
lessons  can  be  learned  from  these  displays,  whether  by 
villa  gardeners  or  by  owners  of  large  places,  I  am  reduced 
to  a  few  notes  of  colour  schemes  that  as  often  as  not  teach 
by  showing  what  should  be  avoided.  The  beds  are 
generally  large,  and  are  grouped  together  in  a  mass 
covering  from  a  quarter  to  three-quarters  of  an  acre  of 
ground,  thus  putting  out  of  court  instantly  the  villa- 
garden  student ;  and  they  are  usually  planted  with  such 
a  medley  of  hardy  and  tender,  herbaceous  and  shrubby 


2i4  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

plants  that  not  one  professional  gardener  out  of  a  hundred 
could  imitate  them. 

Let  me  hasten  to  add  that  I  am  far  from  suggesting 
that  this  bedding  system  is  entirely  wasteful  and  useless. 
To  do  so  would  be  to  take  up  very  narrow  ground,  con- 
founding economy  with  ethics.  It  does  good  by  arresting 
the  eyes  of  the  multitude  and  turning  their  thoughts  in 
the  direction  of  flowers.  It  instils  a  feeling  of  flower-love 
in  the  breasts  of  many  who  cannot  themselves  garden. 
It  "  shakes  up  "  the  stodgy-minded  professional  who  has 
been  working  in  one  groove  for  years  and  sets  him  think- 
ing. It  has  broad,  tender,  humanizing  influences. 

But  it  should  not  stand  alone,  it  should  be  supplemented 
by  real  small  gardens.  It  should  be  the  missionary  work 
which  brings  in  the  convert,  and  more  detailed  effort 
should  then  train  him  in  ways  suited  to  the  needs  of  his 
class. 

Is  there  any  real  obstacle  to  the  establishment  in 
every  Garden  City — and  for  the  matter  of  that  in  every 
public  park — of  a  section  in  which  one  large  garden  is 
made  up  of  a  series  of  small  ones  ?  I  do  not  see  any 
serious  objection.  Let  us  suppose  that  a  given  area  of 
ground  which  is  now  devoted  to  the  large  composite  beds 
so  beloved  of  the  old  type  of  public  gardener  is  entirely 
reorganized,  being  in  future  composed  of  a  number  of 
small  gardens,  each  complete  in  itself,  but  all  linked 
together,  is  there  any  reason  why  the  collective  effect 
should  be  so  much  inferior  to  that  of  the  old  system  as 
to  counterbalance  the  superior  educational  influence  of 
the  new  ?  Assuredly  with  competent  designing  and 
skilful  working  there  need  be  none.  I  believe  that  such 
an  innovation  would  be  welcomed  by  all  except  certain 
of  the  most  conservative  of  the  gardeners  who  had  to 
carry  it  out.  The  general  effect  would  have  the  same 


THE   NEW   CITY   GARDEN  215 

ethical  influence  as  the  present  system,  while  the  indi- 
vidual lessons  would  be  of  immeasurably  higher  educa- 
tional value. 

With  such  an  influence  at  work  there  would  be  more 
harmony  between  the  private  and  public  horticultural 
work  of  Garden  Cities  than  there  is  now.  The  Garden 
City  would  become  what  it  ought  to  be  but  certainly 
is  not  now — a  city  of  gardens.  Every  area  on  which 
the  streets  of  a  garden  city  converge  should  be  a 
garden.  The  fronts  of  the  houses  in  each  street  should 
form  a  collective  garden  leading  to  the  central  garden 
on  which  the  street  debouched.  Given  boldness  in 
planning,  and  a  sufficiency  of  civic  pride  on  the 
part  of  occupiers  to  support  a  general  scheme,  avenues 
of  gardens  could  be  formed  in  every  part  of  the  city, 
each  with  its  own  individuality,  and  yet  forming  part  of 
a  whole.  At  present  the  Garden  City  is  a  Garden  Hotch- 
potch, crude,  inharmonious  and  ineffective. 

The  "  landscape  "  work  of  the  larger  public  parks  has 
been  denounced  by  many  eminent  writers,  but  in  days 
when  a  park  is  also  a  playground — when  fields  have  to 
be  found  for  cricketers  and  footballers,  greens  for  bowlers, 
courts  for  tennis-players  and  sand-pits  for  the  children — 
allowances  must  be  made.  Theoretically  there  is  much 
to  be  said  for  the  suggestion  that  all  public  parks  should 
be  laid  out  on  a  clear  and  simple  plan,  such  as  that  of  a 
series  of  wide,  regular  avenues  converging  on  one  central 
object,  a  lake  for  example  ;  because  some  of  the  avenues 
could  be  planted  with  appropriate  trees  to  provide  shade, 
others  lined  with  gardens,  and  the  spaces  which  they 
enclosed  planted  with  groups  of  shrubs  and  trees.  A 
plain,  coherent  plan  certainly  has  manifest  advantages 
in  a  public  park  frequented  by  thousands  of  people  ;  it 
has  ease  and  dignity.  But  it  panders  to  the  purposeless 


216  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

rather  than  the  purposeful — to  the  dowager  lolling  along 
in  a  carriage,  the  lounger  airing  dogs,  rather  than  the 
athlete. 

M.  Maeterlinck  has  written :  "  The  great  fault  of  all 
our  municipal  gardeners  is  their  dread  of  the  tree.  They 
seem  to  forget  that,  at  the  bottom  of  man's  heart,  amid 
his  obscurest,  but  most  powerful  instincts,  reigns  his 
boundless  yearning  for  the  primeval  forest.  You  really 
abuse  the  innocence  and  the  credulity  of  the  town-dweller 
by  offering  him,  instead  of  the  heavy  shadows  for  which 
his  nature  longs,  paltry  clumps  of  verdure,  flowers  in 
rows  and  worn-out  grass  that  reminds  him  but  too 
closely  of  the  threadbare  carpet  of  the  bedroom  whence 
he  has  just  escaped  in  vain.  A  surface  of  a  quarter  of  an 
acre  thus  arranged  is  nothing  more  than  a  wretched, 
dusty  hearthrug.  Plant  it  with  beautiful  trees,  not 
parsimoniously  spaced,  as  though  each  of  them  were  an 
object  of  art  displayed  on  a  grassy  tray,  but  close  together 
like  the  ranks  of  a  kingly  army  in  order  of  battle.  They 
will  then  act  as  they  were  wont  to  act  in  the  native 
forest.  Trees  never  feel  themselves  really  trees,  nor  per- 
form their  duty,  until  they  are  there  in  numbers.  Then 
at  once,  everything  is  transformed  :  sky  and  light  recover 
their  first  deep  meaning,  dew  and  shade  return,  silence 
and  peace  once  more  find  a  refuge." 

Eloquent  words,  yet  tinctured  by  an  idealism  that 
obscures  the  practical  needs  of  the  proletariat.  The 
parks  of  great  groups  of  the  trees  beloved  of  the  Belgian 
litterateur — the  Hornbeam,  the  Elm,  the  Beech,  the 
Lombardy  Poplar,  the  Pine,  the  Lime,  the  Chestnut  and 
the  pollarded  Plane — such  a  park  is  the  park  of  wealthy 
people  who  in  the  winter,  when  it  is  leafless,  desert  it 
for  the  sunny  South. 

The  park  of  the  people  should  by  all  means  have  its 


THE   NEW   CITY   GARDEN  217 

trees,  but  the  smaller  trees  which  carry  autumn  berries 
must  be  represented — the  Thorns,  the  Crabs,  various 
Pyruses,  Rosa  rugosa,  the  Cotoneaster,  the  Hollies,  the 
Barberry,  the  Tree  of  Heaven,  the  Mountain  Ash,  the 
Honey  Locust,  the  Cydonia,  the  Spindle  Tree,  the  Lycium, 
the  Snowball  Tree,  the  Symphoricarpus  and  the  Yew.  In 
winter  the  brightness  of  coloured  berry,  stem  and  ever- 
green foliage  will  be  as  grateful  to  the  eye  of  the  townsman 
as  shade  is  to  his  senses  in  the  heat  of  summer.  This 
fact,  together  with  the  necessity  for  providing  large 
areas  for  games,  must  necessarily  affect  the  designs  of 
landscape  gardeners  who  plan  great  public  parks. 

It  may  be  suggested,  moreover,  that  the  coolness, 
silence  and  shade,  the  "  air  of  gravity,  peace  and  medita- 
tion" for  which  M.  Maeterlinck  pleads  so  eloquently, 
could  be  provided  by  forming  special  enclosures  for 
students  and  thinkers.  The  need  for  such  places  grows 
with  every  new  technical  school  that  is  built,  every 
literary  society  which  is  formed,  every  scholarship 
offered.  There  are  thousands  of  humble  students  in  the 
great  towns  who  have  no  place  in  which  to  study  after 
their  hours  in  the  class-room  save  the  close  and  unwhole- 
some rooms  of  mean  dwellings.  There  are  innumerable 
Nature-lovers  who  know  of  no  peaceful  and  secluded 
sanctuary  wherein  to  rest.  The  town  park  of  big  trees 
would  have  to  be  zealously  guarded  to  prevent  its  be- 
coming the  haunt  of  the  idle  and  unclean.  The  student- 
enclosure,  with  its  shaded  seats,  cool  summer-houses  and 
leafy  ways,  would  call  for  a  minimum  of  guardianship. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE   NEW  SUBURBAN   GARDEN 

THE  evolution  of  the  suburban  garden  has  been  slow, 
largely  because  it  has  been  done  by  a  class  of  small 
means  and  few  opportunities  of  seeing  good  gardening 
suited  to  its  needs. 

The  average  suburban  gardener  has  had  to  go  for 
practical  hints  to  the  public  parks,  and  these  places  have 
either  dragged  along  at  a  snail's  pace  in  the  rear  of  garden 
improvement,  or  developed  a  flamboyant  and  bewilder- 
ing style  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  needs  of  the  vast 
majority  of  the  people  who  frequent  them.  In  these 
circumstances  it  is  no  cause  for  surprise  that  the  subur- 
banist  has  accomplished  so  little,  indeed,  the  wonder  is 
that  he  has  done  so  much. 

Lovers  of  flowers  who  dwell  in  the  suburbs  of  large 
towns  generally  adopt  a  very  hackneyed  plan  of  laying 
out  their  little  gardens,  and  work  on  a  strictly  limited 
supply  of  material.  The  reasons  are  not  far  to  seek.  In 
the  first  place,  the  gardens  are  generally  very  small  and 
of  rectangular  form  ;  and  of  all  plots  a  small  square  or 
oblong  is  perhaps  the  most  difficult  to  lay  out  tastefully. 
In  the  second  place,  the  fear  that  many  beautiful  plants 
may  not  thrive  in  the  confinement  and  possibly  impure 
air  of  a  small  walled  or  fenced  suburban  garden  causes  a 
disinclination  for  experiments  and  encourages  retention 
of  old  plants. 

218 


THE   NEW   SUBURBAN   GARDEN     219 

We  rarely  see  an  herbaceous  border  or  a  rockery  in  a 
suburban  garden.  The  almost  unvarying  plan  is  to 
make  a  series  of  straight  borders  alongside  the  fences, 
and  set  them  in  rows  of  two  or  three  popular  flowers, 
such  as  Zonal  Geraniums  and  Lobelias,  or  else  patches 
of  old-time  favourites  like  Pansies,  China  Asters,  Cal- 
ceolarias, Monkey  Flowers,  Petunias,  Marigolds,  Nas- 
turtiums and  Mignonette. 

The  first  efforts  of  the  suburbanist  should  be  to  rob 
his  plot  of  that  formal  and  confined  appearance  which 
distinguishes  the  majority  of  such  places.  To  follow  the 
line  of  the  fencing  is  to  follow  the  line  of  least  resistance, 
and  as  such  is  a  natural  temptation  to  people  who  have 
very  little  knowledge  of  modern  flower-gardening.  None 
the  less  it  is  undesirable,  and  the  flower-lover  should 
seek  for  a  design  by  which  the  stiff  lines  of  his  plot  are 
broken,  and  an  effect  of  greater  area  produced. 

I  do  not  ask  for  impossibilities.  I  am  sufficiently 
familiar  with  the  conditions  which  prevail  in  small 
suburban  gardens  to  be  aware  that  the  gardener's  actions 
are  severely  cramped.  Small  area,  inflexible  boundaries, 
and  a  limited  choice  of  plants  all  have  to  be  reckoned 
with.  It  is  in  a  spirit  of  sympathetic  suggestion,  and  not 
of  ill-considered  criticism,  that  I  approach  the  suburbanist. 

The  stiffness  of  a  small  rectangular  garden  can  be 
overcome  by  a  combination  of  several  plans.  The 
campaign  might  be  opened  by  an  assault  on  the  angles 
of  the  fences,  in  one  of  which  a  small  rock  garden  might 
be  established,  in  another  a  pool,  and  in  a  third  a  summer- 
house. 

How  can  we  establish  a  rockery  in  the  angle  of  a  fence, 
and  what  plants  can  we  grow  on  it  ? 

We  may  first  consider  a  raised  rockery,  the  back  of 
which  consists  of  the  boundary  itself.  If  it  is  a  wall,  well 


220  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  good.  Soil  may  be  packed  against  it  without  hesita- 
tion. If  it  is  a  wooden  fence  there  is  more  trouble.  Damp 
soil  cannot  lie  against  a  fence  for  long  without  the  timber 
rotting,  and  then  come  bulging,  breakage  and  disputes 
with  a  possibly  cantankerous  neighbour.  The  fence 
must  be  reinforced,  either  with  flat  stones  or  stout  planks, 
the  former  for  choice. 

The  suburban  gardener  has  an  advantage  over  his 
rural  confrere  in  that  he  can  visit  builders'  yards,  and 
the  offices  of  public  bodies,  with  a  better  chance  of  pick- 
ing up  at  a  moderate  price  a  few  old  flat  paving-stones. 
The  best  of  these  can  be  used  as  buffers  between  soil  and 
fence,  while  the  remainder  can  be  used  to  pave — and 
the  more  irregularly  the  better — the  ground  near  the 
rockery.  Between  the  broken,  irregular  stones  of  this 
"  pavement  "  plants  may  be  set,  which  will  carry  the 
effect  of  the  rockery  beyond  its  immediate  confines. 

Another  plan  which  has  been  adopted  of  reinforcing 
a  fence  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  earth  is  to  drive 
in  4-inch  quartering,  attach  laths,  and  nail  on  house 
slates.  This  is  both  cheap  and  durable,  while  the  fence 
is  strengthened  instead  of  weakened. 

The  suburbanist  will  do  well,  having  got  so  far,  to  put 
himself  in  communication  with  the  nearest  nurseryman 
who  has  any  standing  as  a  grower  of  hardy  plants,  with 
a  view  to  getting  a  supply  of  suitable  soil  and  stones.  I 
should  advise  him  to  strain  a  point  with  respect  to  the  soil, 
and  buy  good,  turfy,  fibrous  loam.  One  sees  stacks  of 
turf  rotting  down  in  the  grounds  of  some  of  the  sub- 
urban florists,  and  nothing  could  be  better  than  the 
fibrous,  flaky  stuff  from  these  heaps  when  they  have 
been  stacked  for  the  better  part  of  a  year.  With  about 
a  third  of  leaf-mould  it  will  make  a  splendid  mixture  for 
rock  plants. 


THE   NEW   SUBURBAN    GARDEN     221 

Flattish  stones  approximately  two  feet  by  eighteen 
inches  will  be  better  than  short,  thick  pieces,  whether 
round  or  square.  These  can  be  set  in  a  series  of  small 
terraces,  as  suggested  in  chapter  v.  With  a  stone  here 
and  there  set  on  end,  with  some  showing  more  surface 
above  the  soil  than  others,  and  with  pockets  of  different 
shapes  and  sizes,  there  will  be  no  stiffness. 

The  top  should  be  planted  with  two  or  three  of  the 
larger  Rock  Roses  (Cistus),  which  will  thrive  in  the 
hottest  situation,  are  evergreen,  and  have  beautiful 
flowers.  For  a  description  of  the  best  kinds  see  chapter  vi. 
In  good  soil  they  will  grow  two  feet  high  or  more,  and 
go  a  long  way  towards  hiding  a  possibly  ugly  fence. 
If  planted  in  autumn  or  early  spring  they  will  flower  in 
summer  and  make  growth  afterwards. 

The  plants  for  the  lower  parts  of  the  rockery  should 
be  chosen  from  the  most  hardy  and  free-growing  of  the 
kinds  described  in  chapter  vi.  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
the  Primulas  will  not  thrive,  nor  will  the  mossy  Saxi- 
fragas,  if  the  position  is  a  very  hot  one ;  but  a  few  might 
be  tried  in  partial  shade.  Camposi  (Wallacei)  is  one  of 
the  best,  and  it  is  as  likely  to  succeed  as  any.  Vigorous 
Canpanulas,  such  as  Carpathica  and  turbinata  and  their 
forms,  will  probably  thrive.  There  could  be  few  better 
plants  than  these,  for  they  are  cheap,  easily  grown, 
flower  abundantly  till  the  end  of  summer  and  give  shades 
of  blue.  Silene  acaulis  is  a  charming  little  plant  that 
would  probably  succeed.  Most  of  the  Sedums  (see 
chapter  vi)  would  do  well.  Gypsophila  repens  is  a  free- 
spreading  plant  with  pretty  flowers  ;  and  its  variety 
rosea  might  be  added.  This  is  an  inexpensive  plant  that 
will  grow  almost  anywhere,  and  soon  fill  a  large  pocket. 
A  few  of  the  hardy  Alpine  Pinks  should  be  planted, 
particularly  Dianthus  deltoides. 


222  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  Sun  Roses  (Helianthemums),  of  which  a  selection 
is  given  in  chapter  vi,  will  be  of  great  assistance,  for 
they  are  able  to  withstand  drought  and  hot  sun.  With 
a  general  resemblance  to  the  Cistuses,  they  are  dwarfer 
and  smaller  in  leaf.  They  produce  brilliant  flowers,  and 
although  they  will  be  at  their  best  in  early  summer  they 
will  give  a  few  blooms  right  into  the  autumn.  They 
may  be  expected  to  make  a  good  deal  of  growth  after 
the  principal  flowering  season  is  over. 

Too  much  should  not  be  expected  of  the  brilliant 
Gentians  in  a  suburban  garden,  but  septemfida,  ascle- 
piadea  and  bavarica  might  be  tried.  The  beautiful  yellow 
Alyssum  saxatile  will  thrive  in  most  places  ;  it  will  bloom 
in  late  spring  and  grow  freely  afterwards,  making  large 
masses.  Arabises  and  Aubrietias  will  do  splendid  service 
if  kept  in  subjection  ;  they  are  strong  and  floriferous. 
The  Wallflower  tribe  are  not  altogether  happy  in  town 
gardens,  but  with  fairly  pure  air  the  splendid  hybrid 
Wallflower  Cheiranthus  Allionii  should  be  planted,  for 
it  is  an  invaluable  plant  owing  to  its  brilliant  colour  and 
duration  of  bloom.  The  Corydalises  are  useful,  and  of 
these  nobilis  might  be  chosen. 

One  or  two  of  the  hardy  Geraniums,  such  as  sang- 
uineum  and  Lancastriense,  could  be  used  for  the  large 
pockets,  but  they  must  be  kept  under  surveillance  or 
they  will  soon  be  out  of  bounds,  for  they  are  straggly 
growers.  A  brilliant  plant  for  a  fairly  large  pocket  is 
Geum  montanum,  perhaps  the  best  variety  of  which  is 
Mrs.  Bradshaw  (see  chapter  vi). 

The  perennial  Candytufts  (Iberis)  are  free-growing 
plants  with  pretty  white  flowers. 

The  smaller  bulbs,  such  as  Grape  Hyacinths,  Scillas, 
Chionodoxas  and  Crocuses  could  be  used.  Of  the  last- 
named  a  few  good  species  might  be  chosen,  because  they 


THE   NEW  SUBURBAN    GARDEN     223 

are  of  greater  interest  than  the  common  Dutch  varieties 
and  do  well  in  suburban  gardens. 

Iceland  Poppies  are  pretty  and  come  readily  from 
seed.  The  Alpine  Phloxes  are  splendid  plants,  yet  are 
inexpensive.  Several  of  the  good  kinds  referred  to  in 
chapter  vi.  should  certainly  be  planted,  for  if  they  thrive, 
as  they  probably  will,  they  will  make  a  delightful 
display  in  early  summer.  Anoena,  reptans  and  several 
varieties  of  subulata  (setacea)  ought  to  be  grown. 

Finally  there  is  Veronica  repens,  one  of  the  cheapest 
and  best  of  all  rock  plants,  soon  filling  a  large  pocket, 
and  covered  with  its  deep  blue  spikes  for  several 
months. 

The  suburban  gardener  should  proceed  experimentally 
with  his  rock  plants,  because  it  is  almost  impossible  for 
anyone  to  tell  him  what  will  and  what  will  not  succeed. 
He  should  watch  the  progress  of  those  which  he  plants, 
and  use  more  of  the  good  kinds  which  make  themselves 
at  home.  Delicate  and  fastidious  plants  will  be  best 
left  to  those  who  pursue  rock  gardening  under  more 
favourable  circumstances. 

Success  will  turn  largely  upon  the  watering.  In  hot 
summer  weather  the  rockery  should  be  well  watered 
through  a  rose  every  evening,  not  only  the  plants  but 
the  whole  surface  of  the  soil  and  stones  being  thoroughly 
moistened.  This  will  help  the  plants  to  recuperate  after 
a  trying  day  of  fierce  heat,  and  strengthen  them  for  a 
similar  ordeal  on  the  morrow. 

A  pool  will  be  a  pleasant  adjunct  to  one  corner  of  the 
garden.  If  there  is  a  greenhouse  or  other  building  near, 
the  roof  water  may  be  taken  to  it.  The  basin  need  not 
be  more  than  two  feet  deep,  and  less  will  suffice.  Great 
depth  will  naturally  be  avoided  the  more  carefully  if 
there  are  children  about.  With  the  latter  to  cater  for,  a 


224  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

set  of  goldfish  may  perhaps  be  considered  more  important 
than  plants,  but  there  must  be  some  vegetation,  and  a 
few  of  the  smaller  plants  named  in  chapter  xix.  may 
be  chosen.  These  will  thrive  if  the  roots  are  tied  up  in  a 
bundle  of  good  loam  and  wedged  among  stones  at  the 
bottom  of  the  pool,  which  may  be  concreted. 

A  summer-house,  however  small,  is  a  good  addition 
to  a  suburban  garden,  and  as  a  rule  there  is  no  better 
place  for  it  than  one  of  the  angles  of  the  fencing,  for  there 
it  not  only  imparts  an  air  of  repose  to  the  little  place,  but 
helps  to  remove  stiffness.  A  house  of  rustic  wood  should 
be  procured,  and  creepers  should  be  set  against  it.  One 
would  be  glad  to  be  able  to  say  that  these  buildings  are 
really  inexpensive,  but  in  fact  they  are  not ;  however, 
quite  a  small  one  will  be  much  better  than  none  at  all. 
Roses  will  hardly  do  for  covering  it,  unfortunately,  unless 
the  air  is  quite  pure ;  in  this  case  try  Dorothy  Perkins. 
Clematis  Jackmani  ought  to  thrive  given  a  good  bed  of 
prepared  soil  and  pruned  back  hard  after  planting.  The 
Golden-netted  Honeysuckle  would  probably  succeed,  and 
the  leaves  of  this  pretty  plant  will  prove  valuable  in 
autumn  to  mix  with  flowers  of  tawny  yellow,  orange  and 
salmon-coloured  Snapdragons  in  the  room  vases,  also 
with  graceful  yellow  Montbretias  and  Gaillardias.  As 
annual  climbers  Canary  Creeper  and  Convolvulus  may 
be  thought  of. 

In  any  case  of  real  difficulty  in  establishing  a  creeper 
on  a  summer-house  plant  the  beautiful  white  Clematis 
montana,  but  do  not  set  it  in  a  position  where  drip  from 
the  roof  will  strike  directly  on  the  roots.  It  is  a  hardy, 
accommodating  plant,  and  makes  a  lovely  display  when 
in  full  bloom  early  in  summer. 

When  the  stiff  angles  of  a  suburban  garden  have 
been  dealt  with  a  long  step  will  have  been  taken  towards 


THE   NEW    SUBURBAN    GARDEN     225 

making  the  garden  really  pretty  and  artistic  ;  but  other 
ideas  are  worthy  of  consideration. 

It  is  generally  a  good  plan  to  divide  a  small  rect- 
angular plot  into  two  sections.  At  the  outset  this  seems 
to  be  imprudent,  because  of  reducing  space.  If,  however, 
a  rustic  fence  or  trellis-work  erection  is  utilized  for  the 
division  instead  of  a  hedge,  plant-space  is  really  increased, 
for  climbers  may  be  planted  on  it.  Trellis- work  painted 
green  makes  a  very  cheap  division  and  support,  and  may 
be  used,  but  if  curved  oak  is  procurable  at  reasonable  cost 
it  should  be  preferred.  At  a  convenient  point  an  arched 
opening  may  be  made  through  which  to  gain  access  to 
the  farther  part  of  the  garden. 

Hedges  should  be  avoided  in  suburban  gardens.  They 
are  not  beautiful,  they  take  up  a  good  deal  of  room,  and 
the  roots  are  greedy. 

An  improvement  on  the  flat  border  which  often  lies 
between  the  path  and  the  fence  of  a  suburban  garden 
is  a  raised  border  supported  at  the  front  by  two  layers 
of  large  stones.  For  this  purpose  stones  should  be  pro- 
cured that  are  nearly  as  thick  as  they  are  long — roughly 
square,  in  fact.  Pieces  of  a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  thick 
will  be  convenient  in  size.  The  first  layer  should  be 
bedded  firmly  against  loose  soil  packed  in  behind  and 
between  them  ;  then  the  second  layer  can  be  put  in 
position  on  them,  but  an  inch  or  two  farther  back.  The 
two  layers  of  stones  should  not  be  set  geometrically,  as 
in  laying  bricks  for  a  wall,  but  somewhat  irregularly,  so 
that  there  are  crevices  between  them.  They  should, 
however,  be  made  quite  firm  and  secure,  so  that  they 
may  not  slip  down  on  to  the  path. 

When  the  soil  has  been  filled  in  at  the  back  to  just 
above  the  level  of  the  stones  the  suburbanist  will  have 
a  raised  border  about  two  feet  deep.  The  soil  at  the  back 


226  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

can  be  kept  away  from  the  fence  with  flat  stones  or 
slates. 

The  advantage  of  a  raised  border  such  as  this  lies  in 
the  fact  that  it  can  be  treated  as  a  semi-rockery.  Plants 
can  be  squeezed  into  the  crevices  between  the  stones, 
where  they  will  establish  themselves,  spread,  and  over- 
hang the  walk.  Quite  small  bits  of  hardy,  accommodating 
things  like  Aubrietias,  Arabises,  Mouse-ear  Chickweed 
(Cerastium)  and  Gold-dust  (Alyssum  saxatile)  will  soon 
spread  into  large  and  beautiful  masses.  There  is  nothing 
better  than  the  silvery  Cerastium  ;  true  it  has  some  of 
the  characteristics  of  a  weed,  running  strongly  at  the 
root,  springing  up  in  various  unexpected  places,  and 
having  great  tenacity  of  life ;  but  it  is  a  very  pretty  weed 
with  its  slender  grey  leaves  and  abundance  of  pure  white 
fringed  flowers.  With  plants  like  these  at  home  among 
the  stones  the  path-side  will  always  be  prettily  fringed. 

The  border  itself  may  be  planted  with  suitable  things 
for  spring  and  summer  flowering,  all  set  in  groups  with 
neat  but  not  too  conspicuous  labels,  so  that  the  positions 
are  always  known  and  one  kind  is  not  planted  to  the 
detriment  of  another.  Bulbs  may  be  used,  being  planted 
in  the  fall.  There  should  be  groups  of  a  few  good  Daf- 
fodils, selected  from  those  named  in  chapter  xn.  Pretty 
colonies  may  be  formed  here  and  there  of  special  things. 
For  instance,  the  lovely  little  Grape  Hyacinth  (Muscari) 
called  Heavenly  Blue  may  be  planted  in  a  chosen  corner 
in  association  with  a  silvery  Daffodil,  such  as  Duchess 
of  Westminster,  cernuus,  albicans  or  poeticus  ornatus  ; 
if  the  bulbs  are  planted  in  mixture  a  charming  effect  will 
be  produced.  In  another  corner  there  may  be*  a  colony 
of  the  lovely  little  yellow  Winter  Aconite,  and  in  yet 
another  a  cluster  of  Dog's  Tooth  Violets.  Groups  of 
Tulips  may  be  planted,] 


THE    NEW   SUBURBAN   GARDEN     227 

For  summer  there  cannot  very  well  be  anything 
better  than  Carnations.  Vigorous  sorts  should  be 
chosen,  such  as  Mrs.  Eric  Hambro,  Hildegarde  and  Tro- 
jan, whites ;  St.  Patrick,  Mrs.  Audrey  Campbell  and 
Lord  Roberts,  yellows ;  Adeline,  Mrs.  Robert  Berkeley, 
Mrs.  Robert  Gordon  and  Lady  Hermione,  pinks ;  Cardinal, 
Brigadier  and  Firebrand,  scarlets  ;  Robert  Bruce  and 
Mrs.  G.  A.  Reynolds,  apricots ;  Ben  Ghazi,  crimson  ; 
Queen  of  Spain,  salmon ;  and  Duchess  of  Wellington, 
heliotrope.  These  are  strong,  thrifty  varieties,  which 
bloom  freely.  In  two  feet  of  good  loamy  soil,  free  from 
wireworm,  they  will  make  large  plants. 

The  Carnation  is  a  first-class  suburban  garden  plant, 
and  near  towns  is  often  cleaner  than  in  the  country ;  but 
if  disease  should  attack  the  leaves  the  remedy  advised 
in  chapter  x.  should  be  brought  into  play.  The  method 
of  staking  and  propagating  there  advised  should  be 
practised.  Never  keep  old  plants  for  several  successive 
years  in  a  small  garden,  where  every  inch  of  space  is 
wanted.  They  get  ugly,  gawky  and  spreading.  Neat, 
close,  compact  plants  are  wanted.  A  Carnation  set  near 
a  cluster  of  bulbs  will  succeed  the  latter  as  an  attraction 
to  the  border. 

A  few  small  varieties  of  Chrysanthemum  and  Michael- 
mas Daisy  may  be  set  at  intervals  for  autumn  flowering, 
but  large,  loose  sorts  must  be  avoided,  or  the  border  will 
become  crowded  and  untidy. 

Ryecroft  Glory,  Guinea  Gold,  Victor  Mew,  Roi  des 
Blancs  and  Nina  Blick  are  close-growing,  free-flowering 
Chrysanthemums . 

The  neatest,  and  one  of  the  prettiest,  of  the  Michael- 
mas Daisies  is  the  kind  burdened  with  the  formidable 
name  of  diffusus  horizontalis  ;  it  is  worth  that  and  more. 
Ericoides  is  another  dwarf  species,  Amellus  Bessarabicus 


228  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

is  a  beautiful  old  variety  which  only  grows  about  two 
feet  high,  and  covers  itself  with  brilliant  lavender- 
coloured  flowers  in  October.  These  plants  should  be 
split  up  every  other  year  in  order  to  prevent  the  clumps 
getting  too  large  and  impoverishing  the  soil  all  around, 
which  they  will  certainly  do  if  left  undisturbed. 

The  Columbine  is  a  beautiful  plant  blooming  between 
the  spring  bulbs  and  the  Carnations,  and  may  be  used 
in  suburban  gardens.  As  mentioned  in  another  chapter, 
the  long-spurred  hybrids  which  can  be  raised  in  quantity 
from  seed  in  early  summer  for  flowering  the  following 
year  are  very  beautiful. 

A  little  plant  called  Portulaca  should  be  kept  in  mind 
by  those  suburban  gardeners  who  turn  to  annual  plants 
for  some  of  their  floral  beauty.  It  will  flower  splendidly 
among  stones  in  rock  beds  or  borders  when  once  started, 
but  it  is  not  safe  to  drop  seeds  among  rough  soil  in  crevices, 
as  they  rarely  germinate.  They  should  have  fine  moist 
soil  for  a  start.  This  plant  will  do  for  setting  between 
the  stones  of  a  "  flagged  "  path  in  or  near  a  rockery, 
where  it  will  form  brilliant  patches  of  bloom  a  few  inches 
high.  The  Night-scented  Stock  is  a  most  useful  annual 
for  dropping  about  among  or  near  stones.  After  sowing 
patches  of  seed  in  a  border  one  often  finds  little  plants 
springing  up  here  and  there,  perhaps  in  the  crevices  of 
a  stone  edging ;  they  bloom  at  six  inches  high  or  so  and 
are  deliciously  sweet.  The  tiny  Violet  Cress,  lonopsidium 
acaule,  is  another  dainty  plant  for  a  rock  border.  Patches 
may  be  sown  at  the  edges  of  the  stones,  and  they  will 
flower  at  about  two  inches  high.  The  three  annuals 
named — Portulaca,  Night-scented  Stock  and  Violet  Cress 
—are  all  cheap  plants,  and  will  thrive  in  suburban 
gardens. 

The  method  of  supporting  the  soil  in  a  border  which 


THE   NEW    SUBURBAN    GARDEN     229 

is  here  advised  is  vastly  better  than  having  a  stiff  j^edge 
of  tiles.  I  am  quite  prepared  to  admit  that  well-laid  tiles 
look  neat  and  orderly ;  but  they  also  look  stiff.  With 
a  straight  row  of  tiles  one  looks  for  straight  lines  of  plants, 
and  although  a  formal  border  thus  formed  may  look 
cheerful  enough  it  has  not  the  light,  graceful,  natural  air 
of  one  made  up  with  rock- work. 

The  only  advantage  of  wood  edging  is  cheapness.  Box 
is  not  suitable  for  a  suburban  garden.  Whitened  stones 
are  an  abomination  in  a  garden. 

In  suggesting  a  rockery  in  one  of  the  angles  of  a  party 
fence  I  mentioned  that  flat  stones  might  be  laid  irregularly 
round  it.  These,  in  short,  might  be  used  to  pave  a  little 
garden  court — the  second  section  of  our  garden.  With 
a  small  rock  garden,  a  summer-house  and  possibly  a 
pool,  the  whole  well  enclosed,  a  delightful  little  garden 
snuggery  could  be  made.  A  pretty  idea  is  to  set  a  sun-dial 
in  the  middle. 

A  weakness  of  many  suburban  gardens  is  that  nothing 
is  done  to  clothe  the  walls  and  fences,  which  therefore 
stand  in  all  their  native  ugliness.  Rather  than  have  bare 
areas  the  suburbanist  should  make  lavish  use  of  Chrysan- 
themums, which  will  grow  in  almost  any  atmosphere. 
When  walls  or  fences  are  under  consideration  people's 
thoughts  turn  naturally  to  climbers,  and  generally  be- 
come fixed,  so  that  other  types  are  overlooked.  Now, 
Chrysanthemums  are  certainly  not  climbers,  but  none 
the  less  they  are  among  the  best  of  plants  for  covering 
low  erections,  as  if  planted  near  the  support  the  branches 
can  be  trained  fanwise  across  the  surface  and  tacked  in 
with  shreds.  They  will  grow  vigorously  if  given  plenty 
of  water  in  dry  weather,  clothe  the  fence  in  a  mantle  of 
green  in  summer,  and  make  a  brave  display  of  orange, 
yellow,  fawn,  white  and  crimson  flowers  in  autumn.  I 


23o  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

have  seen  Chrysanthemum  walls  which  are  really  beauti- 
ful, and  considerably  surprised  the  good  souls  who  had 
got  into  the  habit  of  thinking  in  a  groove  in  connection 
with  the  uses  of  plants. 

The  Winter  Jasmine  (nudiflorum)  may  be  used  against 
a  fence,  and  will  be  very  cheerful  in  winter.  It  luxuriates 
in  a  suburban  garden,  and  needs  hardly  any  attention. 
A  little  thinning  and  training  now  and  then  sum  up  its 
requirements.  The  Golden-netted  Honeysuckle  (aurea 
reticulata)  will  thrive  and  look  well  trained  on  a  fence, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  anyone  who  is  prepared  to 
give  a  little  time  to  training  should  not  grow  the  lovely 
Mountain  Clematis  (montana) ,  for  it  will  bloom  gloriously 
on  a  low  paling,  and  translation  to  a  fence  or  wall  should 
mean  no  more  than  thinning,  arranging  and  tying  in 
the  shoots. 

Suburban  gardeners  who  are  strongly  imbued  with 
the  importance  of  decorating  the  dividing  lines  of  their 
gardens  sometimes  resort  to  Ivy-leaved  Geraniums  of 
rambling  habit,  and  with  very  happy  results,  for  when 
the  plants  are  put  into  good  soil  near  the  walls,  and 
watered  until  well  established,  they  speedily  throw  out 
strong,  freely  bloomed  shoots,  which  can  be  nailed  into 
the  surface.  No  plant  is  gayer  than  this,  none  makes 
itself  more  happy,  or  flowers  more  cheerfully,  on  a  low 
wall  or  fence. 

Trees  and  shrubs  present  a  double  problem  to  the 
suburbanist :  it  is  not  only  a  question  of  the  best  kinds, 
but  of  the  room  they  take  up.  The  gardener  with  very 
small  area  cannot  afford  to  give  up  much  space  to  a  few 
bulky  things,  to  the  exclusion  of  a  larger  number  of 
smaller,  better  plants. 

At  a  period  when  much  is  written,  and  rightly,  in 
favour  of  trees,  it  seems  unfortunate  to  have  to  deprecate 


THE   NEW   SUBURBAN    GARDEN     231 

using  them,  but  the  difficulties  are  serious.  The  sub- 
urbanist  with  a  very  small  garden  must  of  course  eschew 
the  Oak,  the  Elm,  the  Beech,  the  Ash,  the  Sycamore,  the 
black  Poplar,  and  large  trees  generally.  If  he  is 
prepared  to  plant  one  timber  tree  for  shade  he  might 
think  of  the  Chestnut,  for  it  is  very  beautiful  when  in 
bloom,  and  is  much  more  desirable  than  the  Lime. 
The  Lombardy  Poplar  is  stiff,  and  should  only  be 
planted  when  a  leafy  screen  is  wanted  quickly  ;  then  it 
is  invaluable.  The  Plane  is  a  street  rather  than  a 
garden  tree.  Among  flowering  trees  which  do  not  quickly 
attain  to  a  large  size  the  False  Acacia  (Robinia)  should 
be  remembered ;  the  species  neo-mexicana  is  beautiful. 
The  Almond  will  thrive,  and  so  will  the  Catalpa.  The 
most  beautiful  of  all  flowering  trees  is  Pyrus  floribunda, 
and  it  might  be  tried  if  desired. 

Two  trees  with  handsome  foliage  that  do  not  take 
up  much  room  are  the  Paulo wnia  and  the  Ailanthus. 
Both  will  thrive  in  suburban  gardens  if  the  soil  is 
rich. 

The  best  of  the  choicer  foliage  shrubs  is  perhaps  the 
Euonymus,  although  as  a  purely  utility  shrub  the  Aucuba 
undoubtedly  stands  first.  The  variegated  forms  of  the 
Euonymus  are  very  attractive.  They  do  not  grow  fast, 
and  are  naturally  compact  growers. 

Among  flowering  evergreens  I  should  like  to  pay  a 
special  tribute  to  the  Ceanothus,  which  may  be  grown 
either  in  bush  form  or  trained  flat  against  a  wall.  It  is  a 
beautiful  and  valuable  plant,  and  will  thrive  in  suburban 
gardens,  except  where  the  air  is  very  bad.  The  flower 
spikes  on  good  varieties,  such  as  Gloire  de  Versailles,  are 
nearly  as  large  as  bunches  of  Lilac,  and  they  are  of  a 
lovely  soft  blue  shade.  This  splendid  shrub  is  in  bloom 
for  many  successive  weeks,  and  when  happy  in  its  site  it 


THE   NEW   GARDENING 

will  keep  on  making  fresh  wood  and  bearing  flowers 
nearly  all  the  summer. 

The  little  scented  Mezereon  (Daphne  mezereum)  will 
thrive  in  a  suburban  garden,  and  takes  up  very  little 
room.  The  odour  of  its  bright  rosy  flowers  is  delicious. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  ideas  suggested  herein  for 
beautifying  a  suburban  garden  are  all  coloured  by  the 
ideal  of  informality  and  variety.  I  should  like  to  see 
the  old  type  of  suburban  garden,  with  its  air  of  restriction, 
its  unbroken  straight  lines  and  its  stiffness,  fall  into  dis- 
favour ;  and  a  more  diversified  and  artistic  style  take 
its  place.  Although  the  cost  of  the  latter  may  be  a  little 
greater  than  the  former  it  is  not  necessarily  expensive. 
It  is  ideas  rather  than  money  that  are  called  for.  When 
all  is  said  and  done  a  few  yards  of  rustic  fencing,  two  or 
three  tons  of  stones,  and  a  load  or  two  of  soil,  do  not 
cost  much  more  than  a  night  at  the  theatre  or  a  day's 
outing  at  a  race-meeting.  It  is  largely  a  question  of 
proportion. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE   NEW  WATER-GARDENING 

THE  old  use  of  water  in  gardens  was  entirely  stiff  and  un- 
natural. There  was  nothing  of  beauty  about  it.  Com- 
pletely inartistic,  it  served  no  other  purpose  than  to 
arouse  curious  stares  from  uncultured  people  when  they 
had  nothing  more  exciting  to  stare  at. 

The  water  in  the  old  garden  was  generally  enclosed  in 
a  large  basin,  the  upper  part  of  which,  composed  of 
masonry,  stood  considerably  above  the  ground-level.  A 
fountain  was  often  used  as  a  centre-piece. 

Modern  culture  will  not  tolerate  this  use  of  water  in 
gardens.  Water  on  elevated  sites,  with  heavy  masses  of 
masonry,  may  be  necessary  in  reservoirs  for  economic 
purposes,  and  then  a  power-house  and  the  regular  beat 
of  machinery  are  a  suitable  accompaniment.  But  "  orna- 
mental water  " — to  use  the  stock  phrase — should  lie  on 
sites  where  it  would  lie  in  nature,  be  encompassed  with 
beautiful  vegetation,  and  show  the  least  possible  amount 
of  masonry. 

The  flower-lover  would  not  search  for  water  in  Nature 
on  the  banks  and  hills.  There  are,  of  course,  lakes  and 
pools  high  above  sea-level,  but  they  lie  in  hollows  between 
mountains  and  mounds,  where  they  take  the  surface 
water  from  the  higher  ground.  And  even  these  elevated 
lakes  are,  as  a  rule,  a  species  of  feed-cistern  for  lakes  at 
sea-level,  with  which  they  are  connected  by  waterfalls 

233 


234  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  "  forces."  The  water-gardener,  recognizing  the 
significance  of  these  facts,  and  operating  as  far  as  pos- 
sible in  conformity  with  Nature,  will  not  attempt  to 
force  a  water-garden  into  a  place  where  it  does  not  come 
naturally,  but  will  descend  to  the  lower  levels  of  his 
domain,  whither  the  surface-water  will  flow  in  obedience 
to  a  natural  law. 

Except  in  very  small  places  the  surface-water  does 
not,  as  a  rule,  flow  away  in  circumstances  which  forbid 
its  being  easily  intercepted.  In  many  it  finds  its  own 
lodgment  within  the  confines  of  the  estate,  and  then 
only  calls  for  gardening  treatment.  In  other  cases, 
where  it  eventually  escapes  from  the  property,  it  could 
be  caught  and  trapped  in  a  suitable  spot  selected  by  the 
gardener  on  his  level  ground. 

To  intercept  surface-water  and  collect  it  at  a  given 
spot  means  a  system  of  drainage.  This  is  economically 
practicable  in  all  soils  where  there  is  not  less  than  a  yard 
depth  of  earth,  but  not  where  the  soil  lies  in  a  shallow 
layer  over  chalk  or  rock.  A  system  of  ground-drainage 
for  seizing  on  surface-water  means  laying  2-inch  drain- 
pipes in  cross  trenches  two  or  three  feet  deep,  and  fifteen 
or  twenty-five  feet  apart,  according  as  the  soil  is  stiff  or 
friable ;  and  linking  up  these  trenches  with  a  larger 
main  drain  the  outlet  of  which  is  in  a  hollow  where  the 
water  will  find  a  basin.  If  no  hollow  exists  to  form  a 
suitable  water-bed  certain  modifications  in  the  con- 
figuration of  the  ground  which  will  render  it  capable  of 
holding  water  may  be  practicable.  Indeed,  artificial 
work  may  be  desirable  even  where  a  natural  hollow 
exists  if  the  latter  is  screened  by  trees  or  large  shrubs  on 
the  south  and  west,  because  if  so  situated  it  would  be 
robbed  of  the  sunshine  which  is  so  necessary  for  the 
welfare  of  the  plants  and  the  beauty  of  the  garden. 


THE   NEW  WATER-GARDENING      235 

In  any  ground  preparation  which  may  be  practised 
in  connection  with  water-gardening  due  consideration 
should  be  given  to  the  importance  of  admitting  unbroken 
sunshine,  which  not  only  warms  but  lights  up  the  wa'ter, 
giving  it  life  and  cheerfulness.  Trees  at  such  a  distance 
that  they  only  throw  vagrant  shadows  across  the  face  of 
the  water  are  not  objectionable.  A  belt  on  the  north 
and  east  is  not  detrimental,  however  close  to  the  water 
it  may  lie ;  indeed,  it  may  be  considered  an  advantage 
on  account  of  providing  shelter. 

In  modifying  ground  to  make  it  suitable  for  a  water- 
garden  regard  should  be  had  to  the  desirability  of  having 
gently  sloping  rather  than  sharply  pitched  banks,  and 
to  having  a  fairly  large  and  shallow  pool  in  preference  to 
a  small  and  deep  one.  A  depth  of  three  feet  is  better 
than  six,  partly  because  it  favours  the  cultivation  of 
choice  plants  which  are  not  suited  by  deep  water,  and 
partly  because  it  is  less  dangerous  in  case  of  an  in- 
voluntary immersion  on  the  part  of  an  absorbed  and 
enthusiastic  gardener. 

The  ideal  water-garden  is  a  winding,  narrowish  pool 
ranging  from  a  foot  to  three  feet  deep.  The  broader  the 
margin  of  shallow  the  better,  because  then  there  will  be 
no  difficulty  in  surrounding  the  water  with  a  good  fringe 
of  reeds  and  moisture-loving  flowering  plants,  such  as 
Willow  herbs,  Japanese  Irises,  Water  Flags,  Bog  Beans, 
Lady's  Smocks,  Marsh  Marigolds  and  Lady's  Slippers. 

Where  running  water  is  available  stones  should  be 
lain  in  it  for  the  sake  of  the  pleasant  tinkle,  so  grateful 
to  the  ear  of  the  Nature-lover  on  blazing  summer  days, 
when  dragon-flies  dart  and  hover  ;  and  in  any  case  stones 
may  be  put  in  the  shallows,  if  only  for  the  sparkle  and 
play  of  the  sunlit  water  as  it  lifts  and  laps  under  the 
heat-haze. 


236  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

When  the  flower-lover  is  making  a  pool  from  level 
ground  he  may  mark  it  out  of  a  size  and  shape  to  suit 
his  own  fancy.  With  a  handful  of  pegs  and  a  few  yards 
of  cord  he  can  form  the  outline  of  the  pool  before  he 
puts  tool  to  ground.  Indeed,  it  is  wise  to  adopt  this 
plan,  because  when  the  ground  is  pegged  and  lined  out 
a  person  with  ordinary  imaginative  powers  can  form  a 
very  good  idea  of  what  the  basin  will  look  like  when  the 
excavating  has  been  done  and  it  is  ready  for  the  water. 
If  the  prospect  is  not  pleasing  alterations  in  the  design 
can  be  made  in  a  few  moments  by  shifting  a  peg  or  two, 
whereas  if  the  basin  is  prepared  without  forethought  any 
modifications  which  may  be  necessary  will  be  laborious 
and  costly. 

Another  important  question  ought  to  be  settled  before 
the  tools  are  brought  into  play,  and  that  is  whether  the 
bed  and  sides  of  the  basin  will  require  treatment  in  order 
to  make  them  capable  of  retaining  the  water.  If  the 
soil  is  stiff  and  retentive,  such  as  clay  or  marl,  and  the 
site  is  near  sea-level,  or  one  where  water  could  be  col- 
lected from  a  considerable  area  of  ground  into  a  hollow, 
nothing  may  be  required.  If,  however,  the  soil  is  light 
and  porous,  and  especially  if  the  site  is  elevated,  steps 
will  have  to  be  taken  to  make  the  basin  water-tight.  The 
reason  why  this  matter  should  be  considered  at  the 
outset  is  that  if  "  waterproofing  "  is  necessary  a  con- 
siderable part  of  it  can  be  done  with  advantage  before 
the  basin  is  formed.  All  that  is  needed  is  to  cut  a  narrow 
trench  of  the  depth  which  it  is  desired  to  have  the  out- 
skirts of  the  pool — say  eighteen  inches — round  the 
marking-out  pegs,  substitute  for  the  soil  rammed  con- 
crete, and  let  it  set.  In  other  words,  the  gardener  forms 
the  outline  of  his  pool  with  a  shell  of  concrete  before  he 
starts  to  excavate.  The  thickness  of  the  shell  may  be 


A  PRETTY  ROCK  AND  WATER  GARDEN 


THE   NEW   WATER-GARDENING      237 

seven  or  eight  inches.  It  is  wise  to  carry  it  two  or  three 
inches  above  the  ground-level,  so  that  soil  may  not  be 
constantly  crumbling  over.  There  will  be  no  stiffness  if 
appropriate  plants  are  put  outside.  To  provide  moisture 
for  these,  small  holes  may  be  left  in  the  concrete  at  inter- 
vals, just  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  in  order  to 
allow  a  little  to  drain  through. 

When  the  concrete  has  set  quite  hard  excavation  may 
proceed.  It  is  wise  to  find  a  use  for  the  soil  which  has  to 
be  removed  before  shifting  begins,  so  that  there  may  be 
no  waste  or  delay.  In  some  cases  it  will  be  required  for 
modifying  the  slope  of  the  bank  or  altering  the  outline  of 
a  hollow,  and  then  the  cost  of  shifting  will  be  slight,  as  it 
can  be  done  with  a  wheelbarrow.  The  basin  should  be 
made  rather  deeper  at  the  centre  than  at  the  sides,  but 
it  is  neither  necessary  nor  desirable  to  go  deeper  than 
three  feet.  There  may  be  a  gradual  rise  from  the  centre 
to  the  concrete  shell  at  the  margin.  The  whole  of  the 
bed  should  be  concreted  if  the  soil  is  porous,  and  this  is 
not  such  a  serious  matter  as  an  inexperienced  person 
might  suppose,  because  a  large  quantity  of  concrete  can 
be  made  in  a  few  minutes  by  mixing  six  parts  of  cinders 
and  one  of  quicklime  with  a  little  cement  and  water.  It 
can  be  shovelled  on  and  levelled  quickly.  Indeed,  con- 
creting is  a  much  more  simple  operation  than  puddling, 
for  to  make  a  pool  thoroughly  water-tight  with  puddled 
clay  the  latter  wants  chopping  up,  kneading  into  a  mass 
with  water  and  well  ramming.  Even  then  it  is  not 
always  satisfactory.  Six  inches  of  concrete  will  render  a 
pool  quite  secure  so  long  as  it  is  spread  on  a  firm,  smooth 
bed  of  soil,  but  as  an  extra  precaution  an  inch  or  two  of 
fine  concrete  may  be  spread  on  the  top,  and  the  whole 
allowed  to  set  well. 

There  should  be  two  openings  in  the  concrete  large 


23 8  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

enough  to  take  a  6-inch  drain  pipe  :  one  at  the  upper 
part  as  a  feed,  and  another  at  the  lower  part  as  a  take- 
away. The  former  will  receive  the  pipe  which  collects 
the  water  from  the  small  side  drains  and  takes  it  to  the 
chosen  spot ;  it  is  well  to  trap  the  mouth  of  this  pipe  in 
order  to  prevent  animals  getting  in.  The  latter  will  of 
course  be  kept  stopped  until  occasion  arises  for  emptying 
the  pool,  when  it  will  be  opened  and  the  water  run  off. 

By  such  simple  and  inexpensive  means  can  a  new  and 
beautiful  feature  be  added  to  the  garden.  The  judicious 
flower-lover  will  endeavour  to  choose  a  site  for  the  water- 
garden  where  the  surroundings  are,  or  can  be  made, 
harmonious  and  agreeable.  He  will  think  of  his  scheme 
as  a  beautiful  and  artistic  whole — not  merely  the  pool, 
but  the  ground,  the  shrubs,  the  trees  in  its  vicinity.  He 
will  try  to  contrive  an  appropriate  approach — an  area 
of  stone-strewn  ground  planted  with  ferns,  with  Bamboos, 
with  bold  isolated  clumps  of  Torch  Lilies  (Kniphofia), 
ornamental  Rhubarb  (Rheum  palmatum),  broad-leaved 
Saxifrages  (Megasea),  and  the  gigantic  foliage  of  the 
great  Gunnera  manicata.  Nearer  the  water  he  will 
establish  colonies  of  the  splendid  Primula  Japonica,  the 
newer  species  of  Primula  described  in  chapter  vi.,  such 
as  Unique,  pulverulenta  and  Bulleyana ;  and  the  ex- 
quisite Primula  rosea.  These  beautiful  plants  will 
luxuriate  in  the  moist  soil,  and  so  will  the  lovely  white 
Wood  Lily,  Trillium  grandiflorum,  a  colony  of  which  is  a 
delicious  picture  of  chaste  cool  beauty,  especially  with 
shade.  The  water  Forget-me-not,  Myosotis  palustris, 
must  not  be  forgotten.  Small  bits  thrust  between  stones 
in  moist  soil  will  establish  themselves,  spread  and  bloom 
with  almost  incredible  rapidity ;  and  their  pale  blue 
flowers  will  be  charming  near  the  rosy  Primula. 

What  might  be  termed  the  embroidery  of  the  water- 


THE   NEW   WATER-GARDENING     239 

garden  is,  indeed,  scarcely  less  attractive  than  the  pool 
itself,  and,  given  sufficient  space,  it  might  be  extended 
to  include  larger  plants.  None  are  more  effective  than 
the  Japanese  Irises  where  they  bloom,  but  unfortunately 
they  are  apt  to  be  flowerless.  One  finds  that  in  the 
beautiful  gardens  of  the  Scottish  highlands,  whither 
travellers  resort  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  admire 
the  glorious  hill  and  lake  scenery,  Iris  laevigata  varieties 
are  very  shy,  and  often  refuse  to  bloom  altogether.  There 
are,  however,  other  good  Irises  that  will  thrive  and  flower, 
such  as  aurea,  Monnieri,  Pseudacorus  (the  common 
yellow  Water-flag)  and  orientalis. 

The  Willow  Herbs  (Epilobiums) ,  though  coarse,  may 
be  remembered  for  distant  colour  on  large  sheets  of 
water.  The  splendid  Senecio  Clivorum  likes  a  moist 
spot,  and  so  does  S.  Japonicus.  With  shade  the  stately 
Lilium  giganteum,  the  tallest  and  most  imposing  of  all 
Lilies,  will  thrive,  and  so  will  the  hardy  Ladies'  Slippers. 
The  Panther  Lily  will  thrive  in  sunshine  if  its  roots  are 
in  a  cool,  moist  spot,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Astilbe 
rivularis,  A.  Davidii,  Montbretias  Gerbe  d'Or,  Prometheus, 
George  Davison,  Germania  and  Pluie  d'Or — all  beautiful 
varieties  of  different  colours — Caltha  polypetala — the 
latter  a  better  plant  than  the  old  Marsh  Marigold — and 
Lobelia  cardinalis.  As  a  choice  subject  for  a  shady  spot 
in  moist  soil  Ourisia  coccinea  may  be  named.  It  is  a 
lovely  and  uncommon  little  plant,  only  growing  a  few 
inches  high.  It  likes  peaty  soil,  as  indeed  do  all  the 
moisture-loving  plants  for  the  waterside.  Another 
interesting  plant  loving  similar  conditions  is  Pinguicula 
grandiflora,  the  leaves  of  which  catch  small  insects.  The 
advanced  water-gardener  will  perhaps  form  a  colony  of 
Sarracenia  purpurea,  a  North  American  Pitcher  Plant 
which  enjoys  moist  peat, 


24o  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

There  is  no  dearth  of  beautiful  and  interesting  plants 
for  the  margins  and  surroundings  of  water,  and  happily 
we  find  a  plentiful  supply  of  lovely  material  when  we 
come  to  deal  with  the  pool  itself,  which,  after  all,  is  the 
most  important  part  of  the  whole  scheme.  However 
pleasant  the  surroundings  might  be,  a  bare,  shadowed 
and  ugly  piece  of  water  would  be  disagreeable. 

The  Water  Lilies  or  Nymphaeas  come  to  mind  directly 
we  think  of  plants  for  growing  in  shallow  water.  These 
beautiful  flowers  love  still,  placid,  sun-warmed  water. 
A  rapid  stream  is  not  to  their  liking,  nor  do  they  enjoy 
cold,  dark,  shady  water.  When  the  water  of  a  pool 
flashes  joyously  in  the  sunlight  the  Nymphaeas  are  happy. 
On  that  burning  summer  day  when  every  winged  haunter 
of  the  water's  living  surface  is  frenzied  with  activity 
the  Water  Lilies  live  the  fullest  measure  of  their  lives. 
They  expand,  they  stretch,  they  unfold  with,  as  it  were, 
a  sigh  of  complete  content.  The  great  leaves  loll  in- 
dulgently under  the  light  pressure  of  the  elongated 
bodies  of  the  dragon-flies,  which  rise,  hover,  fall  suddenly 
and  rise  again,  or  engage  in  a  stern  life  and  death  struggle 
with  a  predatory  foe  which  fastens  tenaciously  to  their 
posterior,  stiffens  itself  as  they  rise  and  grips  the  leaf 
with  a  sucker-mouth  when  they  sink  for  rest. 

The  Water  Lilies  love  the  shallower  parts  of  still, 
Willow-girt  pools,  where  trout,  bream,  tench  and  carp 
lurk,  blob  suddenly  and  lurk  again.  There  the  great 
leaves  lie  in  ringed  clusters,  curving  round  each  other 
like  the  ripples  round  a  flung  stone.  There  the  fat  buds 
sway  lazily,  like  gorged  babes  in  sand  castles.  And 
there  the  broad,  thick  flowers  expand  their  rose,  blue, 
white  or  yellow  petals,  when  assured  that  the  sun  is 
really  out  for  a  day's  activity,  and  is  not  luring  them  on 
by  a  transitory  burst  of  radiance. 


NYMPH^AS 


THE  NEW  WATER-GARDENING      241 

The  modern  hybrid  Water  Lilies  far  exceed  the  old 
white  species,  alba,  in  duration.  That  passes  soon  after 
midsummer,  but  the  hybrids  will  continue  flowering  until 
mid-autumn  if  there  is  enough  sun  to  keep  the  water 
from  getting  sharply  chilled.  The  reds  are  more  vigorous 
and  lasting  than  the  whites  and  blues,  and  the  grower 
may  have  flowers  on  them  until  the  end  of  October. 

Most  lovers  of  pool-gardens  like  to  relieve  the  flatness 
of  the  Water  Lilies  with  reeds,  but  I  would  caution  a 
beginner  against  planting  a  strong  reed  like  the  Reed 
Mace,  Typha  latifolia,  in  a  small  pool,  for  it  may  dominate 
the  situation  with  its  dense  masses  of  root  and  thick 
clusters  of  strong  stems.  The  roots  may,  indeed,  become 
interlaced  with  those  of  the  Nymphseas,  and  render 
division  difficult.  Moreover,  when  the  reeds  wither  in 
autumn  they  stand  above  the  water  in  stiff  brown  masses 
which  give  the  water  a  desolate  and  forbidding  appearance. 
And  they  cannot  be  pulled  away  without  exercising  such 
force  as  to  tear  whole  masses  away  from  the  bed  and 
leave  them  floating  derelict  in  the  pool ;  the  consequence 
is  they  have  to  be  cut  below  the  surface — a  slow  and 
tedious  process.  I  find  that  when  there  is  an  over- 
growth of  reeds  the  best  plan  of  reducing  them  is  to  thin 
them  out  while  in  full  growth  in  summer  ;  at  that  season 
they  will  part  from  the  roots  under  the  pressure  of  a 
steady  pull,  and  there  is  no  difficulty  in  reducing  crowded 
masses  to  reasonable  proportions. 

One  of  the  best  foliage  plants  for  a  small  pool  is  Cyperus 
longus,  a  graceful  grassy  plant.  The  narrow-leaved  Reed 
Mace,  Typha  angustifolia,  may  also  be  grown.  The 
Sedges,  too,  are  useful. 

For  the  best  of  flowering  plants  we  must  still  turn  to 
the  hybrid  Nymphaeas,  and  even  with  these  there  is  room 
for  discrimination,  inasmuch  as  some  are  much  stronger 
Q 


242  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

than  others.  Of  the  larger  varieties  the  good  hybrids  of 
M.  Latour-Marliac,  such  as  albida,  carnea  and  chroma- 
tella,  are  unexcelled,  for  they  flower  abundantly.  For 
quite  small  pools  the  Laydekeri  varieties,  such  as  pro- 
lifera  and  rosea,  are  preferable  ;  and  to  these  might  be 
added  pygmaea  and  its  beautiful  variety  helveola,  as  well 
as  Ellisiana  and  odorata  minor.  The  fine  red  variety 
James  Brydon  is  a  moderately  vigorous  grower,  and 
might  be  put  into  a  small  pool ;  it  is  a  very  free  and 
persistent  bloomer,  lasting  out  the  great  majority  of  its 
companions. 

Those  who  want  more  kinds  for  large  pieces  of  water 
might  add  colossa  and  candidissima,  which  are  all  vigorous 
growers.  Odorata  rosea,  odorata  sulphurea  and  Wm. 
Falconer  could  be  admitted  for  smaller  areas. 

A  simple  way  of  establishing  the  Water  Lilies  is  to  bed 
the  roots  in  loam  interlarded  with  cow  manure — strawy 
manure  from  yards  and  stables  is  best  avoided — among 
a  cluster  of  stones.  Or  they  may  be  packed  in  an  old 
wicker  basket  among  compost  and  weighted  with  stones. 

There  will  be  mud  at  the  bottom  of  a  puddled  pond, 
and  this,  supplemented  with  loam,  will  serve,  but  the 
roots  should  either  be  wired  to  large  stones  or  trapped 
under  stones  when  first  put  in,  otherwise  they  will  rise 
and  float.  When  they  have  rooted  freely  they  will 
attach  themselves  to  the  bottom. 

Clumps  are  sometimes  dislodged  during  thinning  or 
cleaning  operations  in  a  concreted  pool,  and  will  float 
near  the  surface.  The  remedy  is  to  wade  in  unencumbered 
by  superfluous  clothing  and,  armed  with  a  couple  of 
heavy  stones,  press  the  wandering  mass  to  the  bottom 
and  fix  it  there  with  the  stones. 

Large  sorts  ought  not  to  be  planted  less  than  fifteen 
feet  apart,  smaller  varieties  may  be  put  six  feet.  It  is 


THE  NEW   WATER-GARDENING     243 

not  well  to  have  every  square  inch  of  water  covered  with 
a  mass  of  vegetation,  because  then  the  beautiful  effect  of 
the  play  of  light  and  shade  on  the  water  is  lost ;  its 
cheerful  glitter  and  sparkle  no  longer  charm  the  eye. 
Alternate  patches  of  Lilies  and  bare  water  look  best  ; 
then  the  sun  lights  up  the  whole  pool,  giving  restful 
suggestions  of  mingled  coolness  and  repose. 

The  ideal  water-garden  is  one  the  northern  and  eastern 
sides  of  which  are  sheltered  by  shrubs  or  trees.  The  latter 
should  not,  however,  come  down  close  to  the  water-edge, 
but  leave  space  for  a  green,  winding  path,  between  which 
and  the  water  are  clumps  of  bold,  showy  flowers,  broken 
by  bare  spaces  and  clusters  of  reeds.  On  the  southern  and 
western  sides  the  trees  and  shrubs  are  more  distant,  so 
that  the  sun  gets  free  access  to  the  water ;  the  margins 
are  lower  and  planted  with  beautiful  bog  plants.  A 
stone-strewn  path,  lined  with  ferns  and  moisture-loving 
flowers,  winds  away  from  the  waterside  towards  an 
opening  in  the  trees,  where  a  seat  lurks  half  hidden  in 
the  shade. 

Such  a  pool-paradise  as  this  is  worth  an  effort  to  gain, 
and  in  the  heat  of  summer  it  will  become  a  veritable 
"  haunt  of  peace.'' 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE   NEW  GARDENER 

FOR  the  new  gardening  the  new  gardener. 

The  old  professional  gardener  has  long  been  a  stock 
butt  for  the  jester,  the  caricaturist  and  the  satirist.  Like 
the  stage  policeman,  he  is  brought  on  the  scene  merely 
to  arouse  mirth.  He  is  an  uncouth  figure.  He  talks  a 
singular  jargon.  He  helps  himself  to  the  best  of  every- 
thing in  the  garden.  He  has  fat  love  affairs  with  portly 
housekeepers.  He  is  bullying  and  extortionate.  He 
muddles  up  everything  he  touches. 

To  those  who  know  the  professional  gardener  as  he 
really  is  the  stock  gardener  of  the  stage  and  press  is  an 
unfamiliar  figure.  They  have  never  seen  or  heard  of 
anything  like  him  in  the  gardens  that  they  visit  and  the 
flower  shows  which  they  attend.  They  suspect  that  he 
is  based  on  the  "  jobbing  gardener  "  of  the  towns,  who 
has  rarely  had  a  gardener's  training,  and  who  earns  pre- 
carious half-crowns  in  "  doing  up  "  the  forecourts  and 
backyards  of  boarding-houses  in  shabby  streets  where 
third-rate  writers  and  artists  woo  the  editors  of  cheap 
"  comic  "  papers  with  tiresome  buffoonery. 

The  real  gardener  of  the  old  school  is  a  man  of  many 
idiosyncrasies,  but  he  is  a  totally  different  being  from 
the  jobbing  gardener  of  the  towns.  He  is  baffling,  per- 
plexing, often  very  trying,  but  he  has  an  individuality 
all  his  own.  He  is  passing,  and  a  new  type  is  taking  his 

244 


THE    NEW   GARDENER  245 

place  ;  but  those  who  know  him  best  will  be  the  first  to 
admit  that  he  has  done  great  work  in  his  day,  and  to 
hope  that  his  successor  will  have  at  least  a  portion  of  his 
native  worth. 

The  old  gardener  was  first  and  foremost  a  plant-lover. 
Plant-love  knows  neither  class  nor  age.  It  seizes  on  the 
boy  fresh  from  the  village  school  as  firmly  as  on  the 
society  woman  who  has  grown  worn  and  weary  with  the 
social  whirl.  Catching  this  boy  (who,  it  is  needless  to 
remark,  is  entirely  uneducated,  since  village  schooldom 
merely  crams  in  crude  masses  of  information  as  pullets 
are  crammed  for  market,  and  does  nothing  to  form  the 
mind),  catching  him  at  an  impressionable  age,  it  fastens 
on  him  a  grip  which  grows  tighter  with  the  years.  He 
goes  into  a  gentleman's  garden  with  some  force  at  work 
within  him  that  he  cannot  understand  or  define.  He 
works  at  drudging  tasks.  As  he  grows  up  he  learns  to 
handle  plants — to  propagate  them,  pot  them,  prune 
them.  He  becomes  absorbed  in  them.  The  Grapes  that 
he  thins,  the  Apple  trees  which  he  prunes,  the  Roses 
that  he  buds,  become  his  all  in  all.  In  an  abstracted  way 
he  presently  goes  courting.  After  a  lapse  of  years  he 
disconnectedly  realizes  that  children  are  growing  up 
around  him.  But  nor  sweetheart,  nor  wife,  nor  bairns 
stand  first  in  his  inmost  thoughts.  His  plants  have 
always  the  warmest  corners  in  his  heart. 

Figure  to  yourself  an  elementary  being,  with  untrained 
mind,  with  unformed  tastes,  with  all  the  passions  and 
infirmities  of  primitive  humanity,  becoming  obsessed 
with  plant-love.  Must  he  not  develop  into  something 
abnormal  ? 

You  who  read,  an  educated  person,  do  you  know  what 
plant-love  is  :  how  it  permeates  the  whole  being,  in- 
fluences the  entire  character,  makes  of  you  a  bondman  ? 


246  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Have  you  fallen  permanently  under  the  spell  of  garden- 
ing ?  Has  the  flower-fever  taken  possession  of  your 
heart  and  mind  ?  If  so,  you  may  be  able  to  form  an  idea 
of  what  it  means  to  an  untutored  soul.  You  will  sympa- 
thize rather  than  blame  if  you  see  that  all  sense  of  pro- 
portion is  completely  lost ;  you  will  smile  indulgently  if 
you  see  that  the  gardener  measures  all  the  people  with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact  by  one  unvarying  standard — 
the  degree  of  their  knowledge  of  plants. 

Perhaps  you  are  an  employer  of  gardeners.  You  may 
have  a  large  garden  with  a  staff  of  men  to  keep  it  in 
order,  working  under  the  control  of  a  head  gardener.  If 
this  man  is  a  typical  gardener — and  gardeners  vary  little 
—he  will  interest  you  deeply.  He  will  present  you  with 
a  curious  character-study.  He  will  be  surpassingly 
patient  over  minute  details  in  connection  with  his  daily 
work,  and  amazingly  impatient  under  the  most  gentle 
criticism  from  a  non-gardener.  He  will  be  humble  in  the 
presence  of  his  plants  and  arrogant  in  that  of  his  em- 
ployer. He  will  possess  a  mine  of  information  about  the 
cultural  requirements  of  plants,  and  be  as  ignorant  as 
a  child  about  the  affairs  of  the  world.  He  will  give  un- 
bounded respect  to  an  authority  of  his  own  class  on 
Grape-growing,  and  treat  with  ill-concealed  contempt  a 
great  financier  or  educationist  who  confesses  to  ignorance 
of  Vines.  He  will  take  everything  connected  with  him- 
self and  his  work  in  a  spirit  of  appalling  seriousness,  and 
dismiss  as  trivial  the  weightiest  state  affairs.  He  will  be 
at  once  intelligent  and  stupid,  cheerful  and  morose. 
First  and  last  he  will  be  deeply  interested  in  his  work, 
and  filled  to  the  brim  with  the  conviction  that  he  was 
sent  into  the  world  expressly  to  show  how  it  should  be 
done.  He  will  be  irritatingly  conceited.  He  will  never 
be  satisfied  with  the  amount  of  assistance  which  he  has. 


THE   NEW    GARDENER  247 

He  will  never  tire  of  telling  how  "  rough  "  (this  is  the 
gardener's  invariable  word)  the  garden  was  when  he 
first  took  charge  of  it,  hoping  thereby  that  two  inferences 
may  be  drawn  :  the  first,  that  he  is  constantly  struggling 
under  the  burden  of  the  delinquencies  of  his  predecessor, 
the  second,  that  a  compliment  is  due  for  the  condition  of 
the  place  under  his  management. 

And,  generally,  his  work  will  speak  for  him.  An  in- 
competent or  lazy  gardener  is  not  common.  There  is,  to 
be  sure,  the  gardener  who  "  drinks,"  but  he  was  never 
in  the  majority,  and  he  is  rarer  than  he  used  to  be.  The 
bibulous  gardener  soon  drifts  down  to  casual  work.  He 
has  very  little  chance  of  holding  good  posts  for  long. 
The  rank  and  file  of  gardeners  do  a  great  deal  of  skilful 
and  conscientious  work.  They  are  frequently  under- 
manned and  over-driven.  They  are  only  moderately 
remunerated.  To  those  who  are  competent  to  judge  it 
is  often  a  matter  for  wonder  that  a  gardener  gets  through 
so  much.  At  certain  periods  of  the  year  he  is  almost 
overwhelmed  with  a  mass  of  tasks,  the  lightest  and  least 
conspicuous  of  which  often  takes  up  the  most  time. 

The  gardener  is  sustained  by  plant-love.  It  is  a  passion 
which  forbids  him  to  slacken  pace.  Loving  his  plants 
for  their  own  sake,  he  cannot  permit  himself  to  see  them 
suffer  from  want  of  proper  and  timely  attention.  At  the 
cost  of  his  own  comfort  and  repose  the  plants  must  be 
kept  healthy.  Their  requirements  must  be  met  regularly, 
even  if  they  entail  loss  of  sleep,  deprivation  of  holidays, 
increasing  and  unremitting  care  in  foul  weather  as  well 
as  in  fair. 

I  say  that  such  a  creature  as  this  is  interesting.  I 
suggest  that  he  is  worthy  of  study.  I  urge  that  his 
virtues  are  real,  even  if  they  are  sometimes  obscured  by 
exasperating  foibles.  And  I  think  that  it  would  be  a 


248  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

real  calamity  if  in  his  passing  there  went  also  the  spirit 
of  devotion  to  duty  which  animates  him,  and  the  love  of 
plants  for  their  own  sake  which  has  been  his  saving 
grace. 

The  old  gardener  has  often  been  the  tyrant  of  the 
garden.  There  has  been  no  one  to  teach  him  suavity 
and  tact.  He  has  not  had  the  benefit  of  gentle  nurture. 
He  has  plunged  straight  from  school  into  an  absorbing 
and  overmastering  profession,  which  has  filled  his  un- 
trained mind  to  overflowing.  He  has  taken  the  plants 
which  he  grows  into  his  inmost  life,  and  made  them  his 
own.  He  has  raised  them  with  his  own  hands,  and  they 
are  as  his  children.  He  has  all  a  rude,  uneducated 
parent's  doting  and  indiscriminating  love  and  admiration 
for  his  offspring,  and  as  swift  a  resentment  for  any  re- 
flection or  criticism  upon  it. 

Of  course  he  offends.  He  gets  a  reputation  for  bearish- 
ness.  The  old  labourer  in  the  village,  the  old  shepherd, 
the  old  groom,  may  become  the  pet  of  the  family,  the 
old  gardener  never.  The  lady  and  her  children  love  to 
visit  the  old  folk  of  the  hamlet.  They  like  to  go  from 
cottage  to  cottage  on  the  estate.  But  they  do  not  care 
to  visit  the  gardener's  lodge. 

As  a  class,  gardeners  get  the  reputation  of  being 
boorish.  They  have  few  social  graces,  much  less  the 
deference  that  means  more  to  little  natures  than  sterling 
worth  of  character.  The  old  gardener  is  rarely  a  persona 
grata  with  his  employers  because  he  unthinkingly  snubs 
them,  chills  them,  and  makes  them  feel  that  they  are 
interlopers  in  their  own  gardens.  There  is  no  denying 
that  he  actually  does  this.  He  may  not  do  it  deliberately, 
but  he  does  it.  He  grumbles  at  flowers  being  cut,  at 
work  being  "  interfered "  with.  A  lady  who  fondly 
supposes  that  she  is  helping  in  the  garden  by  taking  a 


THE    NEW   GARDENER  249 

rock  garden  in  hand  is  made  to  feel  that  she  is  doing 
harm  by  "  upsetting  the  arrangements."  The  few  em- 
ployers may  tolerate  this  good-naturedly,  realizing  that 
it  means  nothing  more  than  an  excess  of  plant-love.  The 
many  less  intelligent,  less  far-seeing  and  less  judicious, 
will  draw  false  deductions  from  it  and  resent  it. 

The  New  Gardening  will  be  participated  in  more  and 
more  by  educated  people,  and  the  gardener  of  the  future 
can  no  longer  make  of  his  master's  garden  a  close  personal 
preserve.  The  New  Gardening  will  create  a  New  Gardener 
—a  man  who  will  have  good  sense  enough  to  see  realities, 
and  sufficient  tact,  not  only  to  feel  at  home  with  his 
employer,  but  to  make  the  latter  feel  at  home  with  him. 
It  should  surely  be  impossible  for  rational  human  beings 
to  be  unable  to  work  together  in  something  congenial  to 
both  without  friction.  A  man  obsessed  with  a  great  love 
for  plants  has  an  innate  nobility  of  character  which 
should  secure  him  respect,  and  it  is  lamentable  that 
surface  faults  should  be  allowed  to  obscure  his  real 
worth. 

If  the  new  gardener  could  not  acquire  reasonable  grace 
of  manner  without  sacrificing  some  of  the  enthusiasm  for 
plants  which  possessed  the  old  it  were  perhaps  well  that 
he  should  lose  a  portion,  for  certainly  it  is  imperative  that 
the  garden-lover  who  employs  and  the  garden-lover  who 
is  employed  should  find  a  common  ground,  that  they 
should  work  together  in  sympathy  and  friendship.  But 
one  is  reluctant  to  admit  that  a  civilized  human  being 
could  not  be  one  of  the  most  ardent  and  skilful  of  plants- 
men  without  becoming  unmannerly.  The  companionship 
of  plants  should  exercise  a  refining  influence  on  un- 
polished natures,  and  give  them  charm  as  well  as  native 
grandeur. 

The  new  gardener  must  receive  a  better  elementary 


25o  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

education  than  the  old.  He  must  be  encouraged — and  if 
necessary  made — to  attend  evening  schools  after  his  years 
at  the  elementary  school  have  reached  their  full  tale. 
His  mind  must  be  broadened  and  sweetened  by  more 
advanced  studies  than  those  of  the  village  school.  More 
particularly  he  must  be  led  to  expand  his  sympathies 
by  the  study  of  literature  and  art. 

Gardening  students  make  the  fundamental  mistake  of 
confining  their  studies  to  garden  subjects.  Technical 
knowledge  is  acquired,  but  with  it  narrowness  of  outlook. 
Working  in  a  circle,  they  see  nothing  beyond  it. 

It  is  true  that  gardening  is  a  vast  subject.  One  who 
would  become  proficient  in  it  must  study  hard.  He 
might  very  well  spend  the  whole  of  a  busy  life  in  learning 
plants  and  their  ways,  and  still  remain  ignorant  of  much 
that  the  perfect  gardener  ought  to  know.  None  the  less 
he  must  save  hours  for  subjects  that  are  apparently  re- 
mote from  gardening,  and  can  only  further  horticultural 
development  indirectly.  True  gardening  knowledge  is 
not  for  the  cramped  mind,  the  cabined  intelligence.  Its 
sweep  is  too  wide,  too  majestic. 

It  may  be  that  in  the  near  future  the  young  gardener 
will  find  facilities  provided  for  pursuing  college  courses, 
where  his  studies  will  be  systematized  and  illumined  by 
science.  Every  year  brings  fresh  advances  in  the  pro- 
vision of  advanced  education  for  the  proletariat.  College 
study  will  certainly  modify  temperament.  It  will  tend 
to  wipe  out  class  prejudices.  In  these  things  alone  it  will 
justify  itself. 

The  new  gardener  will  be  more  of  a  flower-gardener 
than  the  old,  and  need  not  be  the  less  a  fruit  or  vegetable 
grower.  He  will  give  closer  study  to  artistic  gardening, 
and  be  no  longer  satisfied  with  the  stiff  and  common- 
place methods  of  the  past.  This  in  itself  should  ensure  a 


THE   NEW   GARDENER  251 

better  understanding  with  his  employer,  with  whom  it 
has  been  a  common  complaint  that  the  old-type  profes- 
sional is  an  unprogressive  flower-gardener.  At  the  same 
time  the  new  gardener  will  grow  Grapes,  hardy  fruit  and 
kitchen-garden  crops  successfully,  always  provided  that 
several  years  of  his  early  life  have  been  passed  in  a  good 
garden.  But  this  is  vital.  Colleges  alone  cannot  turn  out 
first-class  all-round  gardeners,  even  when  they  have 
fairly  large  and  well-equipped  gardens ;  because  the 
practical  work  which  they  do  is  experimental  where  it  is 
not  frankly  commercial.  The  function  of  the  college  is 
to  educate,  of  the  garden  to  inform. 

Should  the  gardener  of  the  future  be  encouraged  to 
specialize,  or  should  he  be  restrained  from  giving  par- 
ticular attention  to  one  kind  of  plant  ? 

It  is  an  age  of  specialization.  The  times  demand 
specialists.  The  development  of  science  has  been  so  great 
that  it  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  become  a  master  of 
several  great  subjects.  He  must  either  be  a  specialist  or 
a  dilettante. 

Gardening,  which  is  held  so  lightly  by  many  unreflect- 
ing people,  and  looked  upon  as  more  or  less  of  an  amuse- 
ment, is  a  great  subject.  Take  up  a  gardening  dictionary, 
turn  over  its  pages,  and  make  a  rapid  calculation  of  the 
number  of  kinds  of  plants  described  in  it.  There  will 
prove  to  be  several  thousands,  and  the  majority  require 
different  methods  of  culture  in  some  detail  or  other.  Add 
to  these  thousands  of  genera  the  species  of  each,  which 
may  number  scores  and  in  some  cases  run  to  hundreds. 
Let  it  be  remembered  that  many  of  the  species  have  also 
different  requirements.  Next  consider  the  hybrids  and 
varieties  of  the  species,  which  are  almost  innumerable, 
and  are  multiplied  in  thousands  every  year.  Of  popular 
flowers  like  Roses,  Carnations,  Dahlias,  Sweet  Peas  and 


252  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Chrysanthemums  there  are  many  hundreds  of  varieties. 
There  are  hundreds  of  varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears,  of 
Potatoes  and  Peas.  These  varieties  have  their  peculiari- 
ties ;  some  are  best  suited  by  one  kind  of  soil,  some  by 
another.  Roses  do  not  differ  only  in  colour  of  bloom. 
They  vary  in  habit,  in  period  of  flowering,  in  preference 
for  this  stock  or  that,  in  pruning  requirements. 

In  face  of  these  facts  I  say  again  that  gardening  is  a 
great  subject.  The  study  of  plants  is  a  vast  and  com- 
plex one.  The  structure  and  composition  of  plants  alone 
might  tax  the  finest  mind,  yet  it  is  only  a  side  issue  of 
gardening. 

With  so  multitudinous  an  array  of  plants  to  study, 
how  can  the  gardener  specialize  one  ?  Will  not  the  garden 
generally  suffer  if  a  particular  plant  is  taken  up  ?  Should 
not  the  owner  of  a  garden  who  employs  a  professional 
gardener  curb  any  tendency  to  specialization  in  his  own 
interests  ? 

It  might  be  expected  that  a  garden  would  suffer  by  the 
specialization  of  one  plant,  and  it  generally  does  in  the 
case  of  an  amateur  who  manages  his  own  garden  ;  but  I 
am  not  prepared  to  say  that  the  same  holds  good  where 
professional  gardeners  are  concerned.  I  have  noticed 
that  where  one  plant  is  done  extremely  well  others  are 
generally  satisfactory.  Something,  however,  turns  on 
the  amount  of  labour  available.  A  working  gardener  in 
a  place  where  the  staff  is  insufficient  to  cope  with  the 
ordinary  routine  should  not  be  encouraged  to  devote  half 
his  own  time  to  Sweet  Peas. 

But  employers  of  gardeners  might  look  at  specialization 
in  a  totally  different  way.  They  might  consider  that  the 
interests  of  a  garden  were  best  served  by  adding  to  the 
staff  an  expert  for  any  particular  plant  which  it  is  desired 
to  specialize,  working  independently  of  the  head  gardener. 


THE    NEW  GARDENER  253 

This  plan  is  already  adopted  in  some  large  establishments. 
It  is  by  no  means  uncommon  where  a  large  collection  of 
Orchids  is  grown.  If  it  answers  for  Orchids,  why  not  for 
Roses  or  Chrysanthemums  ?  Why  not  a  special  man 
for  hardy  fruit  and  another  for  indoor  fruit  ?  Why  not  a 
special  man  to  take  charge  of  the  kitchen  garden  ? 

Theoretically  an  employer  of  gardeners  ought  to  feel 
satisfied  that  by  engaging  specialists  for  different  depart- 
ments he  would  get  a  better  collective  result  than  by  follow- 
ing the  usual  course  of  employing  several  general  men.  But 
a  manager  would  be  wanted,  and  without  careful  organiza- 
tion and  exceptionally  tactful  and  intelligent  control,  the 
result  of  specialization  might  be  unsatisfactory.  A  com- 
petent gardener  arranges  the  routine  work  in  accordance 
with  the  seasons  and  the  weather.  There  are  times  when 
the  men  who  in  the  ordinary  way  would  be  working  out 
of  doors  would  be  standing  idle  unless  they  could  be 
drafted  under  glass.  There  are  long  periods  when  out- 
door work  is  at  a  standstill  altogether.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  indoor  crops  do  not  require  incessant  attention 
at  all  seasons,  unless  they  are  an  extensive  and  valuable 
feature,  such  as  a  collection  of  Orchids,  or  a  large  range 
of  fruit  or  plant  houses. 

Specialization  cannot  be  carried  to  the  ultimate  point 
in  gardens  economically.  The  conditions  of  gardening 
operations  forbid  it.  But  obviously  there  are  cases  in 
which  specialization  may  be  resorted  to  with  advantage. 
The  new  gardener  with  progressive  ideas  will  note  the 
tendency  of  the  times,  and  take  care  to  support  his  general 
knowledge  of  gardening  by  a  special  study  of  one  im- 
portant plant.  It  is  the  most  intelligent,  the  sharpest 
men  who  will  thus  equip  themselves,  and  employers 
should  rather  seek  than  shrink  from  them,  feeling  sure 
that  the  alertness  of  mind  thus  displayed  will  react  on 


254  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

other  things  in  the  garden  besides  the  particular  one 
specialized. 

The  gardener  who  knows  how  to  specialize  should  be 
given  the  opportunity  for  specialization.  It  will  keep 
him  keen.  For  one  case  in  which  the  general  affairs  of 
the  garden  suffer  by  the  specialization  of  one  plant  there 
will  probably  be  a  dozen  where  it  will  gain,  always  pro- 
vided that  the  staff  is  adequate. 

The  day  should  soon  be  past  when  a  gardener  is  re- 
garded as  on  the  same  plane  as  a  field  labourer,  to  be  paid 
a  bare  living  wage,  given  no  holidays  and  treated  without 
consideration.  Now  that  gardening  is  becoming  a  fine 
art  the  status  of  professional  gardeners  should  rise- 
Gardeners  should  be  reasonably  educated  men,  of  good 
appearance,  manners  and  address.  They  should  have  at 
least  the  usual  privileges  of  shopmen  and  artisans,  who 
have  their  half-holiday  every  week.  They  should  not  be 
looked  upon  as  menials,  like  footmen.  There  is  nothing 
servile  in  the  work  of  a  gardener. 

And  if  the  reply  of  an  alarmed  employer  might  be  that 
all  this  means  higher  wages,  the  reply  is,  first,  that  after 
all  it  amounts  to  very  little ;  and  secondly,  that  the 
garden  must  be  looked  at  in  a  new  perspective — not  as  a 
tiresome  and  costly  appurtenance,  every  penny  spent  on 
which  is  to  be  grudged,  while  thousands  are  to  be  lavished 
on  pictures,  old  china,  silver  ware,  and  motor-cars,  but 
as  a  great  influence  on  life. 

Gardening  is  living  art.  A  beautiful  garden  is  as  much 
a  work  of  imagination,  feeling  and  technical  skill  as  a 
great  painting ;  and  it  is  equally  worthy  of  respect  and 
admiration. 

The  professional  gardener  of  the  future  will  be  the 
respected  companion  of  those  who  employ  him.  Instead 
of  being  avoided  as  a  boor  he  will  be  sought  as  a  con- 


THE    NEW   GARDENER  255 

genial  companion.     A  common  love  of  plants  will  draw 
master  and  man  together. 

The  time  for  this  is  not  yet.  It  will  be  retarded  by 
several  things,  and  not  least  by  those  thoughtless  women 
of  means  who  love  flowers  better  than  they  understand 
gardeners,  and  drive  estimable  but  tactless  men  to 
distracted  rudeness  by  whims,  caprices  and  uninformed 
criticism.  But  amid  much  that  is  merely  perfunctory 
and  trivial  in  connection  with  flowers  a  genuine 
love  of  plants  and  gardens  is  growing  apace  in  all 
classes  of  society,  and  it  is  bound  to  bring  with  it  a 
brighter  future  for  the  gardener,  even  if  he  himself 
should  be  slow  to  see  its  significance,  and  move  with 
lagging  steps  in  the  direction  of  that  self-improvement 
which  alone  can  fit  him  for  sharing  fully  in  its  benefits. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   NEW  TREE   BEAUTY 

THE  true  use  of  trees  in  gardens  is  a  great  study  for  the 
garden  artist.  They  must  not  be  meagre,  but  on  the 
other  hand  they  must  not  be  overwhelming.  It  some- 
times happens  that  one  who  would  build  a  house  and 
make  a  garden  is  able  to  acquire  land  that  is  carrying  a 
certain  number  of  trees.  The  architect  and  builder  may 
have  a  passing  thought  for  the  trees,  but  they  will  not 
have  the  deep  reverence  which  springs  from  close  study 
and  intimate  companionship.  They  would  be  ready  to 
leave  a  tree  standing  which  did  not  obtrude  itself  on 
their  plans,  but  they  would  give  short  shrift  to  one  that 
did. 

These  men  should  be  reminded  that  a  house  can  be 
built  quicker  than  a  tree.  It  is  easier  to  find  a  fresh  site 
for  a  house  than  to  fill  up  the  blank  caused  by  the  felling 
of  a  great  tree. 

There  must  be  at  least  a  fourfold  thought  about  a 
tree : 

(1)  Can  we  spare  it  as  a  screen  ? 

(2)  Can  we  spare  it  as  a  shade  ? 

(3)  Can  we  spare  it  as  a  picture  ? 

(4)  Does  it  help  us  with  a  vista  ? 

And  when  we  have  said  "  yes  "  to  the  three  first 
questions  and  "  no  "  to  the  last,  we  may  still  ask  our- 

256 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          257 

selves  if  it  must  not  stand  for  the  sake  of  an  old  memory 
or  a  dear  association. 

Never  try  to  think  of  reasons  why  a  tree  should  be  cut 
down,  always  work  in  the  reverse  way,  and  try  to  amass 
objections  to  removing  it. 

A  true  tree-lover  will  part  willingly  with  a  tree  on  only 
one  ground — that  is,  over-crowding  and  spoiling  a  better. 
It  is  no  sacrifice  to  remove  a  tree  when  it  is  robbing  a 
finer  specimen  of  space,  air,  light  and  food. 

The  garden-maker  will  rejoice  if  there  are  trees  on  the 
ground  which  he  has  to  deal  with,  and  his  first  thought 
will  be,  not  to  make  a  profit  from  their  timber,  but  to 
work  them  into  his  gardening  schemes.  There  may  be  a 
fine  specimen,  or  a  group,  at  some  little  distance  from 
the  site  that  he  has  marked  for  his  house,  with  a  bare 
and  possibly  ugly  space  between.  He  can  link  up  house 
and  trees  by  planting  a  belt  of  shrubs  and  a  border  of 
herbaceous  plants  in  a  flowing  line  from  the  edge  of  his 
lawn  to  the  trees.  A  tree  can  always  be  brought  into  a 
garden  cheaply  and  effectively.  The  simple  plan  of 
naturalizing  bulbs,  such  as  Crocuses,  under  it  will  do 
that. 

If  trees  stand  thickly  on  a  site,  and  must  perforce  be 
thinned,  not  less  for  their  own  sakes  than  for  the  sake  of 
the  plants  around  them,  the  garden-lover  will  always 
try  to  thin  them  in  such  a  way  that  they  compose  a 
harmonious  group  in  themselves,  form  a  vista  which 
helps  the  owner  with  outside  scenery,  or  constitute  a 
glade  leading  to  more  secluded  places.  Provided  they 
have  plenty  of  room  in  which  to  spread,  trees  will  always 
group  themselves  effectively.  They  are  not  on  the 
planet  as  units,  but  as  components  of  woods  and 
forests. 

The  tree-planter  has  his  problem  as  well  as  the  tree- 
fe 


258  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

thinner.  He  will  have  to  make  the  first  general  decision 
as  between  the  great  deciduous  forest  trees  and  the 
smaller  evergreen  Conifers,  and  then  that  between 
individual  species. 

Conifers  are  for  the  immediate  garden  circle,  and 
deciduous  timber  trees  for  the  landscape.  One  may 
bring  a  Conifer,  in  circumstances,  close  to  the  walls  of  a 
house,  a  timber  tree  rarely.  Conifers  are  for  the  lawn, 
the  "  dressed  grounds,"  the  flower-garden ;  deciduous 
trees  are  for  the  outskirts,  the  avenues,  the  wide,  open 
spaces  that  reach  out  towards  the  horizon. 

There  is  something  irritating  about  Conifers  to  the 
man  of  the  woods.  He  hates  them  for  their  smug  sym- 
metry, their  feline  sleekness,  their  silent  primness.  Ac- 
customed to  the  varying  outline  of  the  great  Oaks,  Elms 
and  Beeches,  to  their  play  with  the  wild,  sweeping  winds, 
to  their  shouts  of  glee  and  protest,  he  cannot  enter  into 
sympathetic  relationship  with  those  stiff,  columnar 
kinds  that  have  almost  the  air  of  having  been  clipped 
by  the  scissors  of  a  giant. 

The  gardener  does  not  know  any  such  chagrin.  His 
eye  is  trained  to  symmetry.  He  admires  the  even, 
pyramidal  habit  of  the  Conifers,  their  close,  compact 
verdure,  their  self-contained  and  dignified  bearing.  He 
likes  their  feathery  plumes,  their  tapering  spires,  their 
trunks  clothed  to  the  very  base  with  foliage. 

Every  garden-maker  must  learn  to  use  the  Coniferous 
trees.  They  grow  with  a  slow  and  measured  precision, 
which  can  be  calculated  almost  to  a  nicety.  They  do 
not  send  long,  greedy  roots  foraging  afar,  and  robbing 
the  smaller  occupants  of  the  garden.  Summer  and 
winter  they  present  the  same  serene  front  to  the  gardener 
and  the  storm-gods.  They  do  not  throw  long,  dripping 
arms  over  the  borders,  or  flooc}  the  garden  with  leaves  in 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          259 

the  fall.  Many  of  them  have  balsamic  and  agreeable 
perfumes,  and  the  carpet  of  needles  which  collects 
beneath  them  is  soft  and  odorous. 

The  garden-lover  cannot  use  trees  better  than  to  work 
on  the  principle  of  putting  the  timber  trees  at  the  side 
of  his  house  and  Conifers  in  selected  positions  at  the 
front,  except  in  such  cases  as  demand  the  exclusion  of 
some  unsightly  object.  Where  avenues  are  to  be  formed 
the  timber  trees  may  have  preference  for  parks  and  the 
Conifers  for  gardens.  The  commonest  mistake  made 
with  big  trees  is  to  bring  them  right  into  the  garden  and 
close  to  the  house,  where  their  proportions  cannot  be 
seen  to  advantage,  and  where  their  gross  feeding,  leaf- 
fall  and  drip  are  noxious.  A  big  object  demands  distance. 
The  Beech  is  perhaps  the  least  and  the  Elm  the  most 
objectionable  of  garden  trees.  The  Lime  has  a  some- 
what sickly  scent  in  its  flowering  season  and  drips  honey- 
dew.  The  Sycamore  is  apt  to  show  a  good  deal  of  ugly 
leaf-blotch,  but  the  Maples  give  beautiful  autumn 
colours.  The  Oak  is  the  noblest  of  park  trees,  but  not 
the  best  for  the  garden.  The  black  or  Italian  Poplar  is 
useful  because  of  its  quick  growth  and  hardiness,  and 
the  Aspen  is  of  interest  from  its  beauty  and  restless- 
ness. The  Chestnut  has  beauty  of  flower  as  well  as 
of  form  to  commend  it.  The  Ash  is  a  tree  of  little 
grace. 

The  tree-planter,  whether  using  deciduous  timber  or 
evergreen  Coniferous  trees,  will  naturally  seek  for  the 
best  varieties.  There  are  degrees  of  merit  in  Oaks  and 
Beeches,  in  Cypresses  and  Thujas,  just  as  there  are  in 
Roses  and  Paeonies.  Let  us  now  glance  at  some  modern 
forms  of  well-known  trees,  beginning  with  the  timber 
trees. 

The  Alder,  Alnus  glutinosa,  is  a  good  tree  for  moist 


260  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

places,  and  has  several  varieties,  such  as  crispa,  foliis 
aureis  (yellow-leaved)  and  laciniata. 

The  Beech  is  best  represented  as  a  garden  tree  by  the 
purple  or  copper,  the  leaves  of  which  are  burnished 
bronze.  To  be  exact,  there  are  several  forms  of  purple- 
leaved  Beech,  all  varieties  of  the  common  Fagus  sylvatica. 
Thus  there  are  purpurea,  purpurea  major  (larger)  and 
purpurea  pendula,  the  last  of  drooping  habit.  There  is 
a  darker  form  than  any  of  them  called  atropurpurea, 
which  the  planter  might  choose  in  case  of  doubt,  for  the 
colour  is  rich  and  glowing.  There  are  also  gold  and 
silver  variegated  forms  of  the  common  Beech. 

The  Birch  is  a  well-known  tree,  and  the  common 
Silver  Birch,  so  called  from  its  white  bark,  is  very  familiar. 
One  of  the  best  forms  of  this  graceful  tree  is  Young's 
weeping  variety,  which  is  found  in  some  catalogues 
under  the  name  of  Betula  alba  pendula  Youngii.  It  is  a 
somewhat  expensive  tree,  and  the  form  offered  under 
the  name  of  pendula,  or  incisa  pendula,  might  be  con- 
sidered as  a  cheaper  and  still  graceful  tree. 

The  common  Horse  Chestnut,  ^Esculus  Hippocastanum, 
is  so  admirable  a  tree,  both  in  beauty  of  form  and  splen- 
dour of  bloom,  that  the  garden-planter  feels  little  tempta- 
tion to  search  for  special  varieties  of  it.  He  might  plant 
the  double-flowered  form  (flore  pleno),  and  the  pyramidal 
(pyramidalis)  if  he  prefers  that  form  to  the  rounder 
habit  of  the  common.  The  red  or  pink  Horse  Chestnut 
is  a  different  species  from  the  common,  and  is  the 
jEsculus  carnea  (rubicunda  of  some  catalogues)  of  the 
botanists.  It  is  well  suited  to  garden  cultivation,  for  it 
does  not  grow  to  a  great  size,  has  compact  rounded  habit, 
and  blooms  abundantly.  There  is  a  splendid  variety  of 
this  called  Briotii,  which  has  very  deeply  coloured  flowers, 
and  there  are  also  pendulous  and  double  forms.  The 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          261 

best  Chestnut  for  a  small  lawn  is  ^Esculus  parviflora,  for 
it  is  of  close  bush  form  ;  it  bears  its  white  flowers  in 
summer. 

The  Oak  must  be  carefully  selected  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  a  garden.  What  is  known  as  the  American 
Scarlet,  Quercus  coccinea,  is  a  splendid  tree,  owing  to 
the  rich  colour  which  its  deeply  lobed  leaves  assume  in 
the  fall.  Waterer's  variety  is  a  fine  form  of  it.  The 
Evergreen  or  Holm  Oak,  Quercus  Ilex,  is  a  popular 
garden  species  ;  of  the  many  forms  of  it  Ford's  may  be 
mentioned.  Another  well-known  Oak  is  the  Turkey, 
Quercus  cerris,  of  which  laciniata  and  cana  major  and 
argentea  variegata  are  good  forms.  The  English  Oak  is 
Quercus  pedunculata,  and  there  are  several  forms  of 
this,  including  a  pyramidal  (fastigiata)  and  a  silver 
variegated  (argenteo- variegata) . 

The  Sycamore  and  the  Maples  are  related,  as  both 
belong  to  the  genus  Acer.  It  is  not  wise  to  plant  the 
common  Sycamore,  Acer  Pseudo-platanus,  freely  in 
gardens,  as  it  is  very  liable  to  become  blotched  with 
fungi.  It  is  much  over-planted.  Several  of  its  forms  are 
very  handsome,  however,  and  special  mention  may  be 
made  of  atropurpureum,  a  form  with  purple  leaves. 
Prinz  Handjery  is  a  favourite  with  those  who  plant  for 
leaf-colour,  because  of  its  golden  leaves.  One  of  the  best 
forms  of  the  American  Red  Maple,  Acer  rubrum,  is 
sanguineum,  the  leaves  of  which  make  it  a  brilliant  mass 
of  scarlet  in  the  fall.  The  Japanese  Maples,  the  progeny 
of  Acer  Japonicum  and  A.  palmatum,  are  shrub-like 
trees  of  the  greatest  value  for  leaf-colour  in  autumn, 
when  they  make  gorgeous  masses.  They  never  look 
better  than  when  grouped  on  ground  falling  to  water. 
The  varieties  are  so  numerous  that  they  have  been  put 
into  selections  according  to  the  number  of  lobes  in  the 


262  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

leaf.  Thus  the  palmatum  group  have  five-lobed,  the 
septemlobum  group  seven-lobed,  and  the  dissectum 
group  variously-lobed  leaves.  It  is  difficult  to  select 
from  among  so  many,  but  palmatum  decompositum, 
septemlobum  elegans,  and  dissectum  roseo-marginatum 
are  worth  mentioning.  Any  reference  to  the  Maples 
must  include  Acer  Negundo  variegata,  a  small  tree  with 
green  and  white  leaves  that  is  admirable  for  enlivening 
shrubberies.  The  Norway  Maple,  Acer  platanoides,  is  a- 
useful  tree  with  yellow  flowers  in  spring,  and  there  is  a 
popular  form  of  it  called  Schwedleri,  the  young  leaves  of 
which  are  reddish. 

Little  planted  as  a  garden  tree,  the  common  Ash, 
Fraxinus  excelsior,  has  weeping  forms  which  are  some- 
times used.  Two  may  be  named  :  pendula  and  Went- 
worthii ;  the  former  is  wholly  pendulous,  the  latter  has 
a  stiff  leader.  There  is  a  silver  variegated  Ash,  F.  e. 
argenteo-variegata.  F.  ornus  is  the  Flowering  Ash. 

The  Planes  are  of  trivial  importance  as  garden  trees, 
although  valuable  for  street  planting,  particularly  in  the 
case  of  the  common  London  Plane,  Platanus  acerifolia. 
There  is  a  good  variety  of  this  called  Siittneri. 

Nor  are  the  Poplars  of  great  importance  in  the  garden. 
The  white  Poplar  or  Abele  tree,  Populus  alba,  may  be 
commended  for  moist  sites,  and  there  is  a  good  pyramidal 
variety  of  it  named  pyramidalis,  which  is  suitable  for 
the  garden.  The  black  Poplar,  Populus  nigra,  is  a  good 
screen  or  shelter  tree,  but  has  no  particular  beauty ;  its 
variety  pyramidalis  is  the  well-known  Lombardy  Poplar, 
a  stiff,  upright  tree  entirely  devoid  of  beauty,  and  only 
planted  to  the  enormous  extent  it  is  because  when  headed 
a  few  feet  from  the  ground  it  throws  hundreds  of  young 
shoots  along  the  main  stem  from  the  ground  upwards, 
and  therefore  serves  as  a  means  of  providing  a  quick 


THE   NEW  TREE   BEAUTY          263 

screen  or  wind  break.  The  Aspen,  the  leaves  of  which 
are  always  in  motion  owing  to  the  peculiar  way  in  which 
they  are  set  on,  is  Populus  tremula  ;  pendula  is  a  weeping 
variety  of  it.  P.  balsamifera  is  the  Balsam  Poplar. 

The  Lime,  Tilia,  should  be  passed  over  altogether  as  a 
garden  tree  ;  and  so  should  the  common  Elms,  Ulmus 
montana  (Scotch)  and  U.  campestris  (English).  They 
are  strong  rooters  and  greedy  feeders,  robbing  garden 
plants  of  much-needed  food.  Alba  (syn.  argentea)  is  the 
white  Lime  and  Americana  the  American.  If  any  Elm 
is  planted,  it  might  be  the  weeping  form  of  the  Scotch, 
montana  pendula,  on  the  pyramidal  (f astigiata) .  Dam- 
pieri  aurea  is  a  good  variety  of  the  English. 

Smaller  kinds  of  tree,  as  we  saw  in  the  chapter  on 
Herbaceous  Borders,  are  of  great  value  in  flower-gardens, 
and  it  may  be  well  to  collect  in  alphabetical  order  here 
the  names  of  the  best. 

The  Tree  of  Heaven,  Ailanthus  glandulosa,  has  large, 
pinnate  leaves — that  is,  leaves  in  which  several  leaflets 
grow  from  the  sides  of  a  common  footstalk — and  orange- 
scarlet,  Ash-like  fruits.  It  is  graceful  and  a  slow  grower, 
except  when  planted  in  deep,  heavily  manured  soil. 

The  Almond,  Prunus  Amygdalus,  is  planted  for  its 
early  bloom,  and  earliest  of  the  early  is  the  variety 
persicoides,  which  is  one  of  the  first  trees  to  flower  in 
spring.  The  Bitter  and  the  Sweet  Almonds  are  varieties 
of  the  common,  and  so  are  alba  and  macrocarpa ;  the 
latter  is  remarkable  for  its  very  large  fruits.  See  also 
remarks  under  Prunus. 

The  Service  Berry,  Amelanchier  canadensis  (syn. 
Botryapium),  is  a  good  small  tree,  with  white  flowers  in 
spring,  and  brilliant  leaves  in  the  fall.  There  is  a  form 
of  this  called  oblongifolia  which  makes  a  handsome  bush, 
for  it  flowers  freely. 


264  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  Strawberry  Tree,  Arbutus  Unedo,  is  a  handsome 
small  tree  or  large  bush,  with  lance-shaped,  cut-edged 
leaves,  and  white  flowers  in  late  summer.  The  spiny 
fruits  take  several  months  to  ripen,  but  when  they  assume 
their  full  colour  they  are  very  brilliant.  There  are  several 
varieties,  and  compacta  is  one  of  the  best,  because  of  its 
good  habit.  Croomii  and  rubra  are  scarlet. 

The  Hornbeam,  Carpinus  Betulus,  is  perhaps  used  the 
most  largely  as  a  hedge  plant,  but  some  of  its  varieties, 
such  as  asplenifolia,  incisa  and  pendula,  the  last  drooping, 
are  worthy  of  more  distinctive  use. 

The  Hickories,  Carya  species,  are  important  American 
trees,  with  pinnate  leaves  that  turn  yellow  in  the  fall, 
and  give  welcome  golden  tints  in  the  garden. 

The  Catalpas  are  good  lawn  trees  and  will  thrive  in 
town  gardens.  The  most  popular  species  is  bignonioides, 
called  the  Indian  Bean,  but  an  American  tree.  When  in 
bloom  in  summer  it  is  full  of  beauty  and  interest,  for  the 
flowers  are  borne  profusely,  and  the  purple  and  yellow 
markings  on  white  ground  are  really  beautiful.  There 
is  a  form  called  aurea  which  has  bright  yellow  leaves, 
and  another  called  purpurea. 

The  Judas  Tree,  Cercis  Siliquastrum,  is  a  small  tree 
with  dark  bark  and  Pea-shaped  purplish  red  flowers 
which  appear  in  profusion  in  spring  in  advance  of  the 
leaves.  It  is  not  entirely  hardy,  and  is  best  put  in  a 
sheltered  place  or  among  shrubs.  There  is  a  form  with 
pale  pink  and  one  (alba)  with  white  flowers. 

The  Hawthorn,  Crataegus  Oxyacantha,  is  the  common 
hedge  "  Quick  "  and  therefore  of  no  importance  as  a 
garden  tree,  but  the  best  garden  Thorns  grown  as 
standards,  such  as  Double  Scarlet,  Double  Crimson  and 
Double  White,  are  of  great  value,  as  we  saw  in  our 
chapter  on  Herbaceous  Borders.  They  may  be  set  in 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          265 

shrubberies  with  great  effect,  and  even  used  as  isolated 
specimens  on  lawns  if  desired.  They  form  close,  sym- 
metrical heads  and  flower  freely  in  late  spring,  when  they 
are  masses  of  beautiful  bloom.  There  is  a  silver  variegated 
Thorn,  foliis  argenteis ;  and  a  yellow- fruited,  fructu- 
luteo,  amongst  others.  The  variety  praecox  is  the  Glaston- 
bury  Thorn,  which  may  flower  in  autumn  or  winter. 
There  are  several  varieties,  too,  of  the  Cockspur  Thorn, 
Crataegus  Crus-galli,  which  has  thorny  branches,  glossy 
leaves  and  white  flowers,  followed  by  red  fruit.  The 
leaves  also  colour  in  autumn.  Splendens  is  a  fine  form. 
One  of  the  finest  of  the  Thorns  is,  however,  the  beautiful 
variety  of  the  Evergreen  Pyracantha  called  Lalandi, 
which  berries  every  year,  and  every  third  season  or  so 
becomes  a  sheet  of  vermilion.  It  is  often  grown  against 
a  wall,  but  it  makes  a  beautiful  isolated  bush  or  group  of 
bushes  eight  to  twelve  feet  high.  It  has  small  leaves  and 
white  flowers.  This  splendid  Thorn  thrives  in  suburban 
gardens,  and  it  ought  to  be  planted  generally,  for  there 
are  few  things,  whether  plant,  shrub  or  tree,  to  compare 
with  it  for  brilliant  beauty  in  the  fall. 

The  Quince,  Cydonia  vulgaris,  is  not  infrequently 
grown  to  yield  its  highly  perfumed  fruit  for  preserving, 
and  is  planted  as  a  tree  in  the  open.  Japonica  and 
Maulei  are  more  ornamental,  and  both  are  beautiful  ; 
but  they  are  generally  planted  against  low  walls.  They 
can  be  grown  as  bushes  if  desired.  Maulei,  though  the 
less  known,  is  the  better  of  the  two  ;  it  bears  large 
brilliant  red  flowers  followed  by  yellow  fruits,  which  are 
agreeably  perfumed.  There  is  a  variety  with  white 
flowers,  alba ;  and  there  are  also  forms  with  darker 
flowers  than  the  type,  notably  atrosanguinea.  Good 
varieties  of  Japonica  are  atropurpurea,  very  dark  ;  flore 
pleno,  double  ;  and  Knap  Hill  Scarlet. 


266  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  Hollies,  Ilex  Aquifolium  varieties,  are  a  numerous 
band.  The  variegated  sorts,  such  as  the  Silver  Milkmaid 
(argentea  medio-picta)  ;  Golden  Queen,  Waterer's 
Golden,  Golden  Milkmaid  (aurea  medio-picta),  aurea 
marginata  and  Handsworth  Silver,  are  the  most  popular, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  Hodginsii,  which  has  very 
large  oval  leaves.  The  Golden-fruited  variety  fructu- 
luteo  is  interesting.  The  Hedgehog  Holly  is  I.  ferox. 

The  Laburnum  has  been  mentioned  in  a  previous 
chapter,  and  the  Scotch,  L.  alpinum,  recommended  in 
preference  to  the  common,  L.  vulgare,  owing  to  its  bear- 
ing longer  racemes  of  bloom  ;  it  flowers  a  little  later  in 
spring.  A  hybrid  called  Watereri,  said  to  have  been 
raised  by  crossing  the  common  and  Scotch  Laburnums, 
is  good,  as  it  produces  very  long  racemes  late  in  spring. 
Perhaps  most  tree-lovers  are  familiar  with  the  peculiari- 
ties of  the  graft-hybrid  variously  known  as  Laburnum 
Adami  and  Cytisus  Adami,  which  was  raised  by  a  French 
florist  in  1825  by  grafting  Cytisus  purpureus  on  to 
Laburnum  alpinum.  This  has  been  known  to  produce 
in  alternate  years  :  (i)  Cytisus  purpureus  and  yellow 
Laburnum ;  (2)  Cytisus  purpureus,  yellow  Laburnum 
and  a  purple  Laburnum  alpinum,  the  last  identical  with 
Laburnum  alpinum  except  in  colour.  In  other  years 
only  one  form  appears.  It  is  singular  and  interesting 
owing  to  its  variability,  but  is  not  otherwise  desirable. 

The  Sweet  Gum,  Liquidambar  styraciflua,  is  a  deciduous 
tree  which  is  admired  because  of  the  brilliant  colour  which 
the  leaves  assume  in  autumn. 

The  Tulip  Tree,  Liriodendron  tulipifera,  attains  to  the 
dimensions  of  a  forest  tree  in  rich  soil,  and  may  be 
planted  on  a  large  lawn.  When  the  Tulip-like  greenish 
yellow  flowers  are  borne  freely  it  is  very  handsome. 
There  is  a  variety  with  yellow  in  the  leaves  called  aurea. 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          267 

The  Magnolias  are  important  trees  and  shrubs,  more 
often  grown  on  walls  than  in  the  open  in  northern  climes, 
but  the  smaller  kinds  are  used  for  shrubberies. 

The  species  most  generally  seen  on  houses  is  grandiflora, 
the  Bull  Bay,  a  vigorous  plant,  by  no  means  beautiful  in 
leaf  or  habit,  but  evergreen,  and  bearing  large,  sweet, 
white  flowers  over  a  long  period  in  summer.  It  is  too 
strong  for  small  buildings.  The  Exmouth  variety  of  it 
is  a  fine  form.  The  most  popular  of  the  deciduous 
Magnolias  is  probably  conspicua,  the  Eastern  Yulan, 
which  should  also  have  a  wall  in  cold,  exposed  places, 
but  is  often  grown  in  the  open  as  a  shrub  or  small  tree. 
The  waxy  white  flowers  are  very  beautiful  and  sweet. 
There  are  fine  forms  of  this  plant  called  alba  superba  and 
Andre  Leroy.  Soulangeana  is  sometimes  catalogued  as 
a  variety,  but  in  reality  is  a  hybrid  raised  by  crossing 
conspicua  and  obovata ;  its  white  flowers  are  thickly 
flushed  with  red.  Stellata  (syn.  Halleana)  is  growing  in 
favour  for  use  in  sheltered  parts  of  the  shrubbery  and 
flower  garden.  It  must  not  be  put  into  an  exposed 
place,  for  it  blooms  very  early,  before  the  leaves  are  out. 
There  is  a  rose-coloured  form.  Parviflora  and  Watsoni 
are  newer  Magnolias  which  might  be  grown  by  anyone 
who  wanted  to  form  a  collection,  for  they  have  beautiful 
flowers  ;  the  red  anthers  show  conspicuously  in  the  snow- 
white  blooms  of  the  former.  Both  species  are  from 
Japan.  Tripetala  has  large  white  flowers.  Lennei  is 
another  fine  species,  white  inside,  purplish  red  outside. 

The  Mulberry  is  occasionally  met  with  in  large  gardens. 
In  some  of  the  great  ducal  places  of  England  the  black 
Mulberry,  Morus  nigra,  is  cultivated  methodically  for 
its  fruit,  and  pruned  regularly  on  the  spur  system,  like  a 
Grape  Vine.  But  more  often  one  sees  the  tree  as  a  large 
standard,  with  a  spreading  head,  left  to  grow  as  it  will, 


268  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  liked  as  much  for  its  shade  as  for  its  fruit.  The 
white  Mulberry,  M.  alba,  is  less  grown,  but  there  are 
several  forms  of  it,  notably  pendula. 

Paulownia  imperials  is  admired  for  its  large,  hand- 
some leaves,  which  are  of  great  size  when  it  is  grown  in 
deep,  heavily  manured  soil. 

Piptanthus  Nepalensis  (syn.  Thermopsis  laburnif olia) , 
the  Nepaul  Laburnum,  is  a  little-known  tree  with 
evergreen  glossy  foliage.  It  is  handsome  and  in- 
expensive. 

The  Prunuses,  which  include  the  commercial  Plums, 
Cherries,  Almonds  and  Peaches,  comprise  some  beautiful 
ornamental  trees,  well  worthy  of  planting  for  ornament. 
The  Almonds  have  already  been  mentioned.  The  double 
Chinese  Apricot,  P.  triloba  flore  pleno,  is  particularly 
beautiful,  but  its  chief  value  lies  in  its  use  as  a  small 
shrub  ;  it  is  quite  suitable  for  pot  culture,  and  is  often 
forced  into  bloom  in  late  winter.  The  normal  flowering 
month  is  April.  The  pink  flowers  are  borne  in  consider- 
able profusion.  The  purple-leaved  Cherry  Plum,  cerasi- 
fera  atropurpurea,  generally  catalogued  under  the  name 
of  Pissardii,  is  usually  grown  as  a  standard  and  planted 
for  leaf-colour  in  the  shrubbery.  There  is  a  splendid 
variety  of  Cherry  (Prunus  cerasus)  called  Rhexii  flore 
pleno,  with  double  white  flowers.  The  double  white  and 
double  pink  forms  of  the  Eastern  Prunus,  Japonica,  are 
beautiful,  and  may  be  forced  in  company  with  triloba 
flore  pleno  if  desired.  The  variety  of  Prunus  Pseudo- 
cerasus  called  James  H.  Veitch  is  equally  worthy  of 
mention.  Yet  another  beautiful  ornamental  Prunus  is 
Persica  flore  pleno  magnifica,  which  has  semi-double 
carmine  flowers  ;  there  are  rose  and  white  forms. 

The  Hop  Tree  of  the  United  States,  Ptelea  trifoliata, 
and  its  yellow-leaved  variety  aurea,  may  be  grown  by 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY  269 

those  who  like  to  have  a  collection  of  interesting  trees. 
The  greenish  flowers  are  sweet,  but  the  fruits  are  bitter, 
like  the  hop. 

The  Pyrusus  are  a  great  genus,  including  as  they  do 
the  Apple  and  Pear.  In  an  earlier  chapter,  where  refer- 
ence was  made  to  the  planting  of  standard  trees  in  mixed 
shrubberies,  the  merits  of  Pyrus  floribunda  were  alluded 
to.  This  is  the  most  beautiful  member  of  the  whole 
genus  as  a  flower-garden  or  lawn  tree.  It  is  sometimes 
planted  as  a  bush,  but  more  often  as  a  standard,  when 
it  forms  a  head  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high  and  through 
in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  and  flowers  from  trunk  to 
tip  nearly  every  season.  There  is  a  variety  called  atro- 
sanguinea  which  has  brighter  flowers  than  the  type, 
but  the  former  is  beautiful  enough,  and  there  is  plenty 
of  colour  in  the  buds.  Scheideckeri  is  another  beautiful 
tree,  a  hybrid  of  floribunda  and  prunifolia,  with  blush 
flowers.  Spectabilis  should  also  be  mentioned,  for  its 
large  pink  flowers  are  very  bright  and  gay ;  there  is  a 
double  form  of  it.  The  Crabs  are  of  course  Pyruses,  and 
many  people  plant  them  as  much  for  the  beauty  as  the 
uses  of  the  fruit.  The  ordinary  Siberian  Crab,  P.  baccata, 
and  its  varieties  are  good ;  but  still  more  beautiful  are 
the  varieties  John  Downie,  Transcendent  and  the  Dart- 
mouth, the  fruits  of  which  are  exquisitely  tinted. 

The  double  form  of  the  American  Crab,  Pyrus  coronaria 
flore  pleno,  should  not  be  overlooked,  for  its  flowers  are 
beautiful  and  have  the  delicious  odour  of  Violets. 

The  Mountain  Ash  or  Rowan  Tree,  Pyrus  Aucuparia, 
is  the  most  important  of  the  other  Pyruses.  There  are 
many  garden  forms  of  it,  of  which  Backhousei  is  one  of 
the  best  and  fructu-luteo  a  yellow-fruited  form.  The 
Rowan,  with  its  graceful  Ash-like  leaves  and  bright 
berries,  makes  a  handsome  standard  tree  for  the  shrub- 


270  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

bery.  The  value  of  the  North  American  Choke  Berry, 
P.  arbutifolia,  lies  in  the  rich  autumn  colour  of  the 
leaves. 

The  Sumachs  (Rhus  species)  are  grown  for  the  brilliant 
leaf-colour  in  the  fall  and  in  some  cases  for  the  cloud-like 
masses  of  fruit.  Cotinoides,  the  American  Chit  tarn 
Wood  ;  glabra,  the  Smooth  Sumach  ;  and  Toxicodendron, 
the  Poison  Ivy,  are  planted  for  their  foliage,  Cotinus  for 
its  fruit ;  there  is  a  form  of  the  latter  called  purpurea. 
The  Poison  Ivy  is  a  very  distinctive  and  striking  plant 
in  the  fall,  especially  when  one  sees  it  growing  against 
the  grey  wall  of  an  old  building,  for  the  dark  red  foliage 
makes  a  beautiful  contrast  with  the  stones ;  but  it  is 
dangerous,  and  must  not  be  handled  ungloved. 

The  Robinias  or  Tree  Acacias  are  extremely  useful, 
for  the  pinnate  foliage  is  handsome  and  the  Pea-shaped 
flowers  are  beautiful.  They  make  good  standards,  and 
as  such  may  be  used  in  shrubberies,  on  lawns,  or  as 
avenue  trees  at  the  sides  of  town  and  suburban  streets. 
There  is  a  fine  variety  of  the  American  Rose  Acacia, 
Robinia  hispida,  called  inermis.  Neo-mexicana  is  a 
splendid  species  from  the  Rockies,  which  bears  its 
beautiful  flowers  in  racemes  late  in  summer.  The  common 
species  is  R.  Pseudacacia,  the  American  Locust  or  Acacia, 
which  is  a  good  street  tree ;  of  its  many  varieties  aurea 
Bessoniana,  Decaisneana  and  robusta  Vignei  are  the 
best. 

The  Willows  (Salix)  are  of  course  valuable  for  moist 
sites.  Alba  vitellina  is  the  Golden  Willow,  a  bright  and 
attractive  plant.  Babylonica  is  the  common  Weeping 
Willow.  Cardinalis  is  the  scarlet  and  purpurea  the 
purple  Willow. 

The  Elders  (Sambucus)  are  generally  represented  in 
gardens  by  such  forms  of  nigra  as  the  golden  (aurea)  ; 


*^V".      -;  ' *  ^ :  s 


THE   NEW   TREE    BEAUTY  271 

the  silver  variegated  (argenteo-variegata)  ;  and  the  cut- 
leaved  (laciniata)  ;  there  are  several  others.  The  North 
American  species  canadensis  produces  large  cymes  of 
creamy  flowers  followed  by  purplish  fruit ;  it  is  a  hand- 
some plant  and  thrives  on  moist  sites. 

The  Sophoras  are  deciduous  Chinese  trees,  of  which 
the  best  known  is  Japonica,  with  pinnate  leaves  and 
cream-coloured  flowers  in  summer ;  pendula  and  varie- 
gata  are  drooping  and  variegated  forms  respectively. 
Tetraptera  is  the  New  Zealand  Laburnum,  and  its  variety 
microphylla  has  yellow  flowers  in  spring. 

The  Snowberry,  Symphoricarpus  racemosus,  is  grown 
for  its  white  fruits,  which  form  in  late  summer  and  are 
carried  through  the  winter. 

The  Lilacs  (genus  Syringa  of  botanists)  are  almost  too 
well  known  to  need  description,  and  it  is  only  necessary 
to  remind  the  readers  of  some  of  the  splendid  varieties 
now  offered  by  nurserymen,  which  may  be  grown  as 
standard  trees  for  shrubberies  or  as  dwarf  bushes. 
Among  the  best  singles  are  alba  grandiflora,  Charles  X, 
Geant  des  Batailles,  La  Ville  de  Troyes,  Marie  Legraye, 
Philemon  and  Souvenir  de  L.  Spath.  Beautiful  doubles 
are  Leon  Simon,  Madame  Lemoine,  Marechal  de  Bassom- 
pierre,  Michael  Buchner,  La  Tour  d'Auvergne,  Senateur 
Volland  and  Virginite. 

We  may  now  turn  to  the  Conifers.  The  Douglas  Fir, 
Abies  or  Pseudotsuga  Douglasi,  stands  out  prominently ; 
but  the  real  tree-lover  with  plenty  of  room  will  want  a 
wider  choice  of  Firs.  Abies  Cephalonica,  concolor, 
grandis,  lasiocarpa,  Nordmanniana  and  Pinsapo  have 
their  admirers  as  well  as  Douglasi ;  and  so  have  the 
nurserymen's  forms,  like  nobilis  glauca,  which  has  a 
bluish  tint. 

TJie  Monkey  Puzzle,  Araucaria  imbricata,  is  not  in- 


272  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

frequently  planted.  It  lacks  the  grace  of  many  Conifers, 
but  it  is  distinctive. 

The  Cedars,  particularly  Cedrus  Atlantica  and  its 
varieties  aurea  and  glauca,  are  highly  ornamental.  The 
species  named  will  be  found  better  than  Deodara  and 
Libani,  impressive  though  they  are.  The  former  is  the 
Indian  Deodar  and  the  latter  the  Cedar  of  Lebanon. 
Nurserymen  offer  several  varieties  of  the  Deodar  and  a 
glaucous  form  of  Libani. 

Cephalotaxus  is  a  small  genus,  the  chief  species  of 
which  are  drupacea  and  Fortunei.  A  form  of  the  latter 
called  robust  a  is  offered. 

Cryptomeria  Japonica  is  the  graceful  Japanese  Cedar, 
a  beautiful  variety  of  which  is  elegans. 

The  Cypresses  (Cupressus)  are  a  numerous  band,  for 
in  addition  to  the  species  there  are  many  nurserymen's 
varieties,  like  Lawsoniana  alba  spica  nana,  L.  Alumi, 
L.  alba  variegata,  L.  gracilis  and  its  form  aurea,  L.  Silver 
Queen  and  L.  erecta  viridis,  all  of  which  are  beautiful. 
Two  fine  varieties  of  C.  macrocarpa  are  Crippsi  and  lutea, 
the  latter  with  a  glowing  golden  tint.  C.  nootkatensis 
is  represented  by  yellow  and  yellow  variegated  forms. 
C.  obtusa  and  its  forms  aurea,  Crippsii,  gracilis  aurea, 
pyramidalis,  etc.,  are  often  offered  in  catalogues  as 
Retinosporas  (syn.  Retinispora) .  It  is  the  same  with 
pisifera  and  its  forms  plumosa  aurea,  squarrosa,  etc. 
These  little  trees  are  very  useful  for  shrub  borders,  and 
may  even  be  used  in  herbaceous  borders  and  window 
boxes. 

The  Maidenhair  Tree,  Ginkgo  biloba  (syn.  Salisburia 
adiantifolia),  is  very  distinctive  with  its  flattened, 
maidenhair-like  leaves,  and  is  often  planted  as  a  lawn 
tree. 

The  Chinese  Juniper,  Juniperus  chinensis,  is  a  well- 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY          273 

known  Conifer,  of  which  the  varieties  aurea,  glauca  and 
albo-variegata  are  good ;  the  last  has  a  creamy  terminal 
shoot  which  lights  up  the  whole  tree.  Sabina,  the  Savin 
Juniper,  and  Virginiana,  the  red  Juniper,  are  good 
species  ;  pendula  is  a  drooping  form  of  the  latter.  There 
is  a  variegated  form  of  Sabina. 

The  common  Larch  is  one  of  the  cheapest  of  all  the 
Conifers ;  but  it  is  worth  while  to  pay  a  little  more  for 
the  Japanese  species  leptolepis,  which  is  a  rapid  grower 
with  graceful  plumose  foliage.  The  Larches  are  admired 
for  the  tender  tint  of  their  young  foliage  in  spring. 

The  Incense  Cedar,  Libocedrus  decurrens,  is  a  hand- 
some and  distinct  Conifer  of  columnar  growth,  and  is  a 
good  tree  for  a  large  lawn. 

The  Piceas  or  Spruce  Firs  are  allied  to  the  Abies  or 
Silver  Firs  ;  and  in  many  of  the  tree  catalogues  the 
Piceas  are  grouped  with  the  Abies,  Picea  being  regarded 
as  a  botanists'  name.  P.  Alcockiana,  the  Japanese 
Spruce ;  P.  excelsa,  the  common  European  Spruce ; 
Morinda  (syn.  Smithiana),  nigra,  polita  and  pungens  are 
thus  affected.  There  are  several  varieties  of  excelsa, 
such  as  clanbrassiliana,  aurea,  elegans,  pendula,  Remontii 
and  pygmaea,  the  last  a  small  bush.  There  is  a  popular 
variety  of  pungens  called  glauca  which  carries  a  bluish 
bloom  ;  this  also  is  suitable  for  a  border  owing  to  its 
small,  stiff  growth. 

The  genus  Pinus  is  generally  represented  by  Austriaca, 
the  Austrian  Pine,  a  cheap,  hardy  and  useful  tree,  but 
somewhat  sombre ;  Cembra,  the  Swiss  Stone  Pine  ; 
Coulteri  (syn.  macrocarpa),  the  Calif ornian  Pine  ;  excelsa, 
the  Himalayan  Pine ;  insignis,  the  Monterey  Pine  ; 
Laricio,  the  Corsican  Pine ;  montana,  the  Mountain 
Pine ;  Pinea,  the  Stone  Pine ;  Pinaster,  the  Cluster 
Pine;  Strobus,  the  Weymouth  Pine;  and  sylvestris, 


274  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  Scotch  Pine.  The  last  is  extensively  planted  owing 
to  its  great  hardiness  and  suitability  for  bleak  positions  ; 
but  it  is  not  good  enough  for  a  small  garden  ;  its  varieties 
argentea,  aurea  and  nana  may  be  noted. 

Prumnopitys  elegans,  the  Chilian  Plum-fruited  Yew ; 
Pseudolarix  Kaempferi,  the  Chinese  Golden  Larch-;  and 
Sciadopitys  verticillata,  the  Japanese  Umbrella  Pine, 
are  three  interesting  kinds  which  might  be  added  to  a 
large  collection.  The  last  is  a  singular  plant,  the  phylloid 
shoots  of  which,  serving  as  leaves,  radiate  like  the  ribs  of 
an  umbrella. 

For  Retinospora  see  remarks  under  Cupressus. 

The  most  ornamental  of  the  Sequoias  (syn.  Welling- 
tonia)  is  of  course  gigantea.  S.  sempervirens  is  the 
Californian  Redwood ;  there  is  a  white-tipped  variety 
of  it  called  alba  spica. 

The  deciduous  Cypress,  Taxodium  distichum,  is  re- 
markable for  the  brown  colouring  in  the  fall.  It  thrives 
in  moist  places.  There  is  a  pendulous  variety  of  it. 

The  Yews  (Taxus)  vary  greatly  as  forms  of  one  species, 
baccata.  One  sees  at  large  shows  such  varieties  as 
adpressa,  a.  stricta,  Dovastoni  (weeping),  and  its  golden 
form  D.  aurea,  elegantissima,  fastigiata  (the  Irish 
Florence  Court  Yew)  ;  and  fructu-luteo,  the  Golden- 
fruited  Yew. 

The  Thujas  are  best  known  in  the  form  of  the  Western 
or  American  Arbor  Vitae,  T.  occidentalis ;  and  the 
Eastern  or  Chinese  Arbor  Vitae,  T.  orientalis ;  but 
gigantea  (syn.  Lobbii)  and  dolabrata  are  much  grown ; 
the  last  makes  a  good  lawn  tree,  and  has  several  varieties, 
such  as  nana  and  variegata.  There  are  golden  and 
pyramidal  forms  of  gigantea.  Elegantissima,  with 
golden  foliage ;  Elwangeriana,  E.  aurea  and  Hoveyi 
are  good  forms  of  the  American  Arbor  Vitae.  Aurea  is  a 


THE   NEW   TREE   BEAUTY  275 

popular    form    of    T.    orientalis,   and    there   is  also   a 
weeper. 

The  Hemlock  Spruces  are  often  grown  under  the 
name  of  Abies,  but  are  correctly  Tsugas.  Canadensis  is 
the  Canadian  Hemlock  Spruce,  a  graceful  tree ;  and 
Mertensiana  is  also  desirable. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

THE   NEW   SHRUB   BEAUTY 

THE  modern  gardener  gives  to  shrubs  that  specialization 
which  they  were  not  thought  worthy  of  in  the  past.  Let 
the  reader  recall  some  old-time  shrubberies  which  he  has 
seen — great  unkempt  masses  of  foliage  of  common  un- 
interesting kinds,  unpruned  save  for  a  hasty  shearing 
every  few  years,  the  soil  undug  and  unmanured — the 
whole  affair  a  mere  block  and  wind-break,  without  a 
particle  of  gardening  interest. 

There  are  often  good  reasons  for  planting  cheap,  hardy, 
quick-growing,  accommodating  shrubs  in  large  masses 
or  belts ;  the  need  for  shelter  and  economy  alone  may 
justify  it.  But  there  is  no  reason  why  the  front  and 
sheltered  prominent  parts  should  not  be  planted  with 
better  kinds,  which  can  boast  beauty,  distinction,  and 
as  lively  a  horticultural  interest  as  Carnations,  Dahlias 
or  Sweet  Peas. 

It  is  singular  that  flower-gardeners  will  often  devote 
more  thought  and  care  to  the  site  for  a  bed  of  Dahlias, 
which  is  only  a  matter  of  a  few  months'  duration,  than 
they  will  do  to  a  shrubbery,  which  stands  for  years. 
Surely  the  permanent  features  of  a  garden  are  at  least 
as  worthy  of  consideration  as  the  temporary  ones.  A 
mistake  with  an  annual  crop  has  but  slight  importance 
compared  with  that  with  a  perennial  one. 

The  ground  preparation  for  shrubs  is  often  of  the 

276 


THE   NEW    SHRUB   BEAUTY         277 

poorest.  A  gardener  of  a  certain  type  will  give  double 
the  attention  to  preparing  a  bed  for  the  purpose  of  win- 
ning a  prize  of  a  few  paltry  shillings  for  Onions  than  he 
will  devote  to  making  a  lasting  home  for  noble  and 
beautiful  shrubs.  Deep  trenching  or  bastard  trenching 
and  liberal  manuring  are  even  more  necessary  for  a  shrub- 
bery than  for  a  kitchen  garden,  and  the  best  that  is  given 
to  vegetables  should  not  be  thought  too  much  for  shrubs. 

With  thorough  ground  preparation  the  shrub-planter 
will  ensure  that  annual  production  of  vigorous  young  wood 
which  makes  pruning  simple  and  easy,  and  means 
abundant  crops  of  the  finest  flowers  every  year  on  those 
kinds  which  are  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their  blossoms. 
He  is  never  compelled  to  hesitate  about  cutting  out  old 
wood  in  autumn  because  of  the  paucity  of  new  branches 
for  taking  its  place — the  most  unfortunate  position 
possible  for  a  shrub-lover  whose  experience  has  told  him 
that  the  great  majority  of  flowering  shrubs  produce  the 
finest  bloom  from  the  new  wood. 

Flower  gardeners  who  have  a  fair  amount  of  ground 
should  consider  forming  beds  and  borders  of  shrubs, 
not  merely  as  wind-breaks,  but  as  permanent  features 
of  beauty.  If  beds  of  Roses  in  prominent  parts  of  the 
flower  garden,  why  not  beds  of  various  beautiful  shrubs  ? 
The  objection  that  the  deciduous  kinds,  although  often 
very  beautiful  when  in  bloom,  are  bare  and  unsightly  for 
several  months  of  the  year,  may  be  met  by  reminding 
the  gardener  that  he  is  quite  at  liberty  to  associate  ever- 
greens, and  species  with  brightly  coloured  stems,  with 
the  kinds  that  he  grows  mainly  for  their  bloom,  should  he 
care  to  do  so. 

Beds  and  belts  of  good  shrubs  add  enormously  to  the 
beauty  and  interest  of  a  garden — a  fact  to  which  many 
garden-owners  have  awakened  during  the  past  few  years. 


278  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  New  Gardening  makes  vastly  better  use  of  shrubs 
than  the  old,  and  gardens  are  the  more  beautiful 
for  it. 

With  the  greater  attention  that  is  now  devoted  to 
beautiful  shrubs  plant  dealers  are  encouraged  to  raise 
improved  varieties,  and  to  send  travellers  into  distant 
countries  in  search  of  new  species.  Let  us  see  what  they 
have  done  for  us  with  some  of  the  principal  kinds. 

The  Syrian  Mallow,  Althaea  f  rut  ex  or  Hibiscus  syriacus, 
has  been  improved  almost  out  of  recognition,  and  the 
genus  now  comprises  many  beautiful  plants,  some  single, 
others  double,  the  colours  being  blush,  crimson,  rose, 
purple,  white  and  red  and  white  (Painted  Lady) .  Named 
varieties  are  offered  by  some  dealers,  and  Bleu  Celeste, 
Boule  de  Feu,  Leopoldii  flore  pleno,  purpurea  and  vio- 
lacea  may  be  named.  The  Syrian  Mallow  will  thrive 
in  most  soils  if  the  site  is  sunny.  It  flowers  at  the  end 
of  summer  and  loses  its  leaves  in  winter. 

The  Aralias  are  grown  for  their  handsome  leaves,  and 
Chinensis  (syn.  Dimorphanthus  Mandshuricus)  has  two 
beautiful  variegated  forms  in  alba  (or  argentea)  variegata 
and  aurea  variegata.  They  do  best  in  a  sheltered  place. 

The  Aucubas,  cheap  and  common  as  they  are,  should 
not  be  slighted,  for  they  are  showy  when  well  berried, 
and  the  fact  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  will  thrive 
under  the  shade  of  trees.  The  small  green-leaved, 
offered  by  some  nurserymen  under  the  name  of  Japonica 
vera  (or  vera  nana),  is,  I  consider,  a  more  ornamental 
shrub,  when  full  of  berries,  than  the  variegated,  for  the 
brillant  red  fruits  find  a  beautiful  foil  in  the  deep  green 
foliage. 

Few  shrubs  are  more  important  to  the  modern  flower- 
gardener  than  the  Azaleas.  Many  beautiful  hardy 
hybrids  have  been  raised,  and,  as  stated  in  chapter  vn., 


THE   NEW   SHRUB   BEAUTY         279 

where  several  of  the  best  sorts  are  named,  they  make 
magnificent  beds.  Like  their  allies  the  Rhododendrons, 
they  enjoy  a  compost  of  peat  and  loam. 

The  hardy  Azaleas  might  be  classed  in  three  sections  : 

(1)  Azalea  mollis  varieties. 

(2)  Azalea  mollis  x  Azalea  pontica  hybrids. 

(3)  Azalea  mollis  x  Azalea  sinensis  hybrids. 

The  mollis  varieties  are  hardy  and  good,  such  sorts  as 
Admirable,  Alphonse  Lavallee,  Ambroise  Verschaffelt 
and  M.  Arthur  de  Warelles  being  very  bright.  But 
section  3  gives  us  the  finest  hardy  forms.  Here  we  find 
such  splendid  things  as  Alma  Tadema,  Anthony  Koster, 
Glory  of  Boskoop  and  Louis  Endz,  which  produce 
abundance  of  large  and  brilliant  flowers. 

The  Bamboos  are  divided  by  botanists  into  three 
genera :  Arundinaria,  Bambusa  and  Phyllostachys ;  but 
nurserymen  do  not  always  follow  them.  For  instance, 
the  popular  Bambusa  Metake  of  the  trade  catalogues 
becomes  in  botanical  lists  Arundinaria  Japonica.  It  is 
hardy,  and  makes  fine  masses  of  large  dark  green  leaves. 
Bambusa  Fortunei  variegata  is  also  an  Arundinaria ; 
it  is  a  dwarf  kind  with  charming  green  and  silver  leaves. 
Other  good  Bamboos  are  A.  nitida,  A.  nobilis,  A.  Simoni, 
Phyllostachys  aurea,  P.  Henonis  and  P.  viridi-glaucescens. 
Unfortunately  A.  nobilis  is  too  tender  to  be  planted  in 
cold,  exposed  places.  A.  nitida  is  very  graceful  and  grows 
fast.  It  is  hardy. 

The  Berberises  grow  steadily  in  favour,  Darwinii  and 
stenophylla  being  particularly  popular ;  both  are  ever- 
greens, of  graceful  growth,  carrying  attractive  foliage, 
especially  Darwinii,  and  covering  themselves  with  flowers 
in  spring.  The  former  has  orange  and  the  latter  yellow 
blossoms.  Although  closely  related  they  are  quite  dis- 
tinct in  appearance,  and  both  ought  to  be  planted. 


280  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Aquifolium  (syn.  Mahonia  aquifolia)  is  evergreen  and  has 
several  varieties.  Thunbergi,  with  golden  pendulous 
blossoms,  and  Japonica,  a  good  evergreen  with  upright 
yellow  flowers,  may  also  be  mentioned.  The  former  is 
deciduous,  and  so  is  the  common  vulgaris. 

The  Brooms,  species  and  hybrids  of  Genista  and 
Cytisus,  are  beautiful  evergreen  shrubs  that  thrive  in 
light  soil.  Of  the  Cytisuses,  the  varieties  of  scoparius 
(common  European  Broom)  called  Andreanus  and 
sulphureus,  the  former  white  with  red  petals,  the  latter 
pale  yellow,  are  the  most  important.  Andreanus  is  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  the  Brooms,  and  looks  charming  in 
a  bed.  Several  of  the  Brooms  are  used  by  rock  gardeners. 
A.  Ardoinii,  with  yellow  flowers  ;  C.  decumbens,  a  yellow 
carpet er ;  C.  Kewensis,  a  hybrid  with  cream  flowers  ; 
and  C.  purpureus,  with  purple  flowers,  and  its  modern 
forms,  such  as  incarnatus  and  pendulus,  are  cases  in 
point. 

Cytisus  praecox,  an  early  blooming  hybrid  with  cream 
flowers,  and  C.  Dallimorei,  a  mauve  hybrid  between 
albus  and  Andreanus,  are  interesting  Brooms.  The  Mount 
Etna  Broom  is  Genista  ^Ethnensis,  a  charming  shrub  of 
slender,  twiggy  growth,  which  loads  its  slender  branches 
with  yellow  flowers  in  spring. 

The  Yellow  Spanish  Broom  (not  the  common  yellow 
Spanish  Gorse,  Genista  Hispanica)  is  Spartium  junceum, 
a  good  plant  for  late  summer  and  autumn  blooming, 
with  rush-like  shoots  and  yellow,  very  sweet  flowers. 

The  Buddleias  are  beautiful  shrubs,  and  variabilis 
Veitchiana  is  a  splendid  form  of  a  good  Chinese  plant. 
Variabilis  itself  is  well  worth  growing,  for  it  bears  its 
lilac  flowers  in  long  racemes ;  but  Veitchiana  is  still 
longer  and  better  and  is  of  a  bright  sky-blue.  The  newer 
variabilis  magnifica  is  as  large  as  Veitchiana  and  rosy 


THE   NEW   SHRUB   BEAUTY         281 

purple  in  colour.  They  should  be  pruned  hard  in  spring. 
Colvilei  is  a  very  handsome  Himalayan  shrub,  with  its 
long  racemes  of  red  flowers,  but  it  is  not  hardy,  and 
should  be  put  against  a  wall.  Buddleia  globosa  is  the 
Orange  Ball  Tree,  so  called  owing  to  the  form  and  colour 
of  the  flowers. 

There  are  many  special  varieties  of  Box,  forms  of  the 
common  species  sempervirens,  including  silver  variegated 
(argentea),  gold-marked  (aurea  maculata)  and  pendulous 
(pendula).  Of  Japonica,  which  makes  a  small  stiff  bush 
with  round  leaves,  there  is  a  very  pretty  silver  variegated 
form  (argentea)  and  also  a  golden  (aurea).  Garden-lovers 
on  chalk  know  how  useful  the  Boxes  are.  The  common 
edging  Box  is  a  form  of  Buxus  sempervirens  called 
suffruticosa. 

The  American  Allspices,  Calycanthus  floridus  and  C. 
praecox  (syn.  Chimonanthus  fragrans),  thrive  best  in 
sheltered  places. 

Camellias  can  be  grown  in  the  open  in  mild  districts 
in  the  northern  latitudes  ;  and  there  they  make  beautiful 
shrubs.  C.  sasanqua  is  an  interesting  species,  suitable 
for  a  wall.  There  are  double  white  and  pink  varieties  of 
it,  and  there  is  a  single  red.  They  are  evergreens. 

Carpenteria  californica,  with  white  scented  flowers,  is 
a  beautiful  evergreen,  but  not  hardy  enough  for  exposed 
places. 

The  Ceanothuses  are  beautiful  for  wall  or  open,  par- 
ticularly the  fine  garden  varieties,  such  as  Gloire  de 
Plantieres  and  Gloire  de  Versailles,  blue,  and  Marie 
Simon,  rose,  which  are  evergreen,  and  flower  profusely. 
They  never  do  better  than  when  planted  in  the  shelter  of 
a  large  hedge  or  building,  for  then  they  make  abundance 
of  young  wood  annually,  and  produce  beautiful  plumes 
of  bloom  for  many  weeks  in  succession.  These  sorts  are 


282  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

best  pruned  to  the  old  wood  in  spring,  for  the  same  year's 
wood  gives  the  best  flowers. 

There  is  nothing  fresh  to  record  about  the  Mexican 
Orange  blossom,  Choisya  ternata,  but  a  reminder  may 
be  given  about  the  beauty  and  fragrance  of  this  white- 
flowered  evergreen  shrub,  which  is  at  its  best  when  it  has 
the  shelter  of  a  wall. 

A  selection  of  Cistuses  is  given  in  chapter  vi.,  where 
their  value  for  hot,  dry  positions  in  the  rock  garden  is 
emphasized. 

The  Dogwoods  (Cornus)  have  several  modern  variegated 
forms,  such  as  alba  Sibirica  variegata,  silver  ;  A.  Spathii, 
yellow ;  and  Sibirica  flamiramea,  with  golden  bark. 
C.  Mas  or  mascula  has  a  silver  variegated  form,  varie- 
gata ;  and  another  called  aurea  elegantissima  is  marked 
with  yellow. 

Cotoneaster  microphylla,  with  small  evergreen  leaves 
and  white  flowers  in  wreaths  along  the  branchlets, 
followed  by  red  fruit,  is  a  popular  plant,  but  other  species 
are  not  so  well  known.  Angus t if olia  (evergreen)  has 
orange  berries,  and  Franchetti  (evergreen)  has  orange 
scarlet  fruits.  Frigida  is  one  of  the  best,  but  it  is  not  an 
evergreen;  the  white  flowers  are  followed  by  brilliant 
scarlet  fruits  ;  it  is  a  strong  grower.  Horizontalis  is  a 
dense  evergreen  shrub  with  horizontal  branches,  vigorous 
against  a  wall ;  it  bears  white  flowers  followed  by  red 
fruit  and  is  a  beautiful  kind.  Pannosa,  white  flowers 
and  red  fruit,  is  a  spreading  evergreen  of  considerable 
merit.  Rugosa  Henryi  is  a  new  species  with  lanceolate 
leaves  and  brownish  red  berries  borne  in  clusters.  Humi- 
fusa  is  a  creeping  evergreen  suitable  for  banks,  and  the 
scarlet  fruit  makes  it  attractive. 

St.  Dabeoc's  Heath,  Daboecia  (syn.  Menziesia)  polifolia, 
is  a  beautiful  shrub  that  will  thrive  on  loam  or  peat.  It 


THE  NEW  SHRUB  BEAUTY    283 

only  grows  a  foot  or  two  high,  and  is  of  dense,  compact, 
free-blooming  habit,  so  that  it  is  a  splendid  shrub  for 
bedding.  It  has  drooping  reddish  flowers,  but  there  is  a 
white  variety,  which  is  if  anything  more  beautiful  than 
the  type,  and  also  a  dark,  atropurpurea.  These  lovely 
little  Heaths  are  worthy  of  extended  culture. 

The  Daphnes  are  of  that  class  of  low,  recumbent 
shrub  which  rock-gardeners  are  beginning  to  utilize  for 
the  foothills  of  their  Alpine  gardens.  Blagayana  is  a 
splendid  little  evergreen  with  creamy  fragrant  flowers  in 
dense  terminal  clusters.  Cneorum,  with  rose-coloured 
heads  of  perfumed  bloom,  is  also  evergreen  ;  the  variety 
major  is  finer  than  the  type,  as  the  flower-heads  are 
larger.  Mezereum  and  its  varieties  alba  and  atrorubra 
are  deciduous  ;  their  odour  is  delicious. 

Davidia  involucrata  is  an  interesting  newish  Chinese 
shrub  or  tree  with  Lime-like  leaves,  with  handsome 
bracts  of  white  inflorescence.  It  is  deciduous. 

Desfontainia  spinosa  is  an  interesting  though  not  new 
evergreen  which  thrives  best  in  peaty  soil  with  partial 
shade.  The  flowers  are  tubular  and  coral-coloured  with 
a  yellow  tip.  Those  who  like  thoroughly  distinctive 
plants  which  are  at  the  same  time  really  handsome  might 
make  a  note  of  it. 

The  Deutzias  are  almost  too  well  known  to  need 
mention.  The  double  variety  of  crenata,  flore  pleno, 
is  particularly  popular;  but  extus  purpurea,  with 
purple  and  white  flowers,  and  punctata,  with  variegated 
leaves — both  forms  of  crenata — are  not  so  well  known. 
Lemoinei  is  a  fine  hybrid  Deutzia  with  white  flowers  in 
upright  panicles,  borne  very  freely.  Boule  de  Neige  is  a 
splendid  form  of  it.  Discolor  major  is  a  fine  Deutzia  from 
Western  China,  with  long  arching  sprays  of  white  flowers. 

The  hybrid  Diervillas  (Weigelas)  must  have  prominent 


284  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

places,  for  they  are  among  the  very  finest  of  flowering 
deciduous  shrubs,  blooming,  when  grown  in  good  soil  and 
divested  of  the  old  wood  after  flowering,  from  the  base 
to  the  tip  of  lo-feet  shoots.  They  are  not  at  all  particular 
as  to  soil  if  the  ground  is  dug  deeply,  and  they  will  even 
do  well  on  banks  of  sand.  Good  modern  varieties  like 
Abel  Carriere,  crimson  ;  Bouquet  Rose,  rose  and  yellow ; 
Eva  Rathke,  blood  -  red ;  Looymansii  aurea,  yellow 
foliage,  and  Mont  Blanc,  white,  should  be  grown. 

The  Elaeagnuses  embrace  some  modern  evergreen 
forms,  such  as  glabra  variegata.  Macrophylla  is  an  ever- 
green with  yellow  flowers.  The  Wild  Olives  have  hand- 
some berries  in  the  fall. 

Embothrium  coccineum  is  a  plant  of  exceptional 
beauty,  owing  to  the  clusters  of  vivid  scarlet  flowers 
that  it  bears,  and  although  not  new  is  worthy  of  a  note. 
It  is  an  evergreen,  flowering  in  May,  and  thriving  in 
peaty  soil  if  planted  in  a  sheltered  place,  but  it  is  useless 
in  cold  sites. 

The  hardy  Heaths  (Ericas)  will  not  escape  attention 
for  the  garden  because  some  are  wildings.  Arborea, 
cinerea,  codonodes  (syn.  lusitanica),  mediterranea,  Tet- 
ralix  (Cornish  Heather)  and  vulgaris  (syn.  Calluna),  the 
common  Ling  or  Heather,  are  the  principal  species,  but 
there  are  several  varieties  of  all  of  them. 

The  Escallonias  are  beautiful  evergreens  often  grown 
on  walls  in  cold  districts,  but  thriving  in  the  open  in  mild 
places.  Macrantha,  with  crimson,  trumpet-shaped  flowers, 
an  evergreen,  is  the  best  known,  but  the  newer  Philip- 
piana,  with  white  fragrant  flowers,  quite  hardy ;  and 
Langleyense,  a  hybrid  between  macrantha  and  Philip- 
piana,  which  produces  numerous  bunches  of  rosy  carmine 
flowers,  are  of  more  modern  interest.  Ingrami  is  a  good 
variety. 


THE   NEW   SHRUB   BEAUTY         285 

The  Euonymuses  are  valuable  for  their  foliage,  and 
for  the  fact  that  they  thrive  admirably  near  the  sea. 
The  most  attractive  forms  are  variegated  varieties  of 
Japonicus,  which  are  marked  with  silver  (argentea 
variegata)  and  gold  (aurea  variegata)  ;  latifolius  albo- 
variegatus  is  also  very  good.  Radicans  Silver  Gem  and 
variegatus  are  pretty  little  silvery-leaved  plants  for  the 
rockery,  and  are  evergreen.  Europgeus,  the  Spindle 
Tree ;  and  Americanus,  the  Strawberry  bush  of  the 
United  States,  are  grown  for  their  bright  fruit.  In  good 
soil  they  make  large  bushes. 

Eurya  Japonica  (syn.  Fortunei)  has  a  particularly 
good  variegated  form  in  latifolia  variegata  ;  angustifolia 
is  another  form  ;  these  are  evergreens. 

Eurybia  Gunniana  is  the  same  as  Olearia  Gunnii. 

Exochorda  grandiflora,  the  Pearl  Bush,  is  not  new, 
but  should  be  mentioned  as  an  uncommon  and  beautiful 
deciduous  shrub  that  might  be  included  in  a  collection 
of  choice  plants. 

The  Forsythias  show  no  special  developments,  but 
they  are  too  useful,  owing  to  their  early  and  profuse 
blooming,  to  be  overlooked ;  they  bloom  in  winter  in 
advance  of  the  leaves.  Suspensa  is  the  most  popular 
species,  and  there  are  two  forms  of  it  in  cultivation,  one 
more  upright  in  habit  than  the  other.  There  is  a  varie- 
gated form  of  the  other  well-known  species,  intermedia. 

The  Snowdrop  Tree,  Halesia  tetraptera,  is  one  of  the 
older  kinds  which  should  be  mentioned  for  the  purpose 
of  stimulating  readers  to  grow  what  is  one  of  the  most 
distinct  and  beautiful  of  all  plants  for  a  shrubbery.  It  is 
a  spring  bloomer. 

Genistas  are  referred  to  under  Brooms. 

The  Hamamelises,  or  Witch  Hazels,  are  beautiful  for 
winter  blooming,  and  entirely  distinct  fromi  any  other 


286  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

trees  or  shrubs.  They  will  be  in  full  flower  while  quite 
leafless  in  January  or  February.  Mollis  is  one  of  the  best 
species,  and  its  yellow  flowers  with  twisted  petals  are 
deliciously  perfumed  ;  its  foliage  is  hairy.  A  variety  of 
H.  Japonica  called  Zuccariniana  is  becoming  popular  ; 
it  has  lemon-coloured  flowers.  The  Witch  Hazels  will 
thrive  in  suburban  gardens. 

Notes  on  the  best  Sun  Roses  (Helianthemums)  will  be 
found  in  chapter  vi.  These  beautiful  little  shrubs  are 
splendid  for  dry  spots  in  the  rock  garden. 

Hibiscus  Syriacus,  the  Rose  Mallow,  is  referred  to 
under  Althaea  frutex. 

The  Sea  Buckthorn,  Hippophas  rhamnoides,  may  be 
noted  for  planting  close  to  the  sea. 

A  splendid  Hydrangea  for  sheltered  places  is  paniculata 
grandiflora,  which  in  moist,  peaty  soil  makes  a  large  bush 
that  is  covered  with  white  flowers  in  spring.  The  old 
species  hortensis  is  not  perfectly  hardy,  although  it  is 
used  out  of  doors  in  some  districts,  and  in  an  ironstone 
soil  gives  blue  flowers.  Mariesii  and  Veitchii  are  two  good 
varieties  of  it. 

The  St.  John's  Worts  (Hypericum)  are  mostly  in 
demand  for  covering  large  areas  on  shallow  soils,  where 
better  plants  will  not  thrive.  For  this  purpose  calycinum 
is  one  of  the  best,  and  its  yellow  flowers  are  large  and 
bright.  Moserianum,  a  hybrid,  is  a  better  garden  plant. 

The  Kalmias  may  be  mentioned  as  shrubs  which 
thrive  under  the  same  conditions  as  Rhododendrons, 
liking  peaty  and  disliking  limestone  soils.  Glauca,  a 
small  deciduous  shrub,  is  the  best  known,  but  latifolia  is 
a  much  finer  plant,  and  is  evergreen. 

The  Kerrias  should  be  remembered,  particularly  the 
double  form  of  Japonica,  which  produces  its  yellow 
flowers  in  abundance.  There  is  a  variegated-leaved 


THE    NEW   SHRUB    BEAUTY         287 

variety  of  the  single,  but  only  the  plain-leaved  double 
need  be  grown. 

The  Laurestinus  (Viburnum  Tinus)  will  be  found  useful 
for  planting  in  the  least  conspicuous  places.  It  is  a 
cheap  and  handsome  evergreen.  The  same  remarks 
apply  to  the  Laurels,  both  common  and  Portugal.  There 
are  varieties  of  both,  but  the  majority  of  flower-gardeners 
will  hardly  care  to  specialize  the  shrub,  and  will  rather 
care  to  use  the  common,  vigorous  kinds  for  forming  quick 
screens  and  wind-breaks. 

Lavender  will  be  admitted,  and  also  Leycesteria 
formosa,  a  plant  worth  growing  on  the  lawn.  Its  peculiar 
white,  purple-tinted  flowers,  which  are  followed  by 
berries,  give  it  interest.  Mitraria  coccinea,  with  coral 
red  flowers,  will  also  be  considered  as  an  uncommon  and 
beautiful  shrub. 

Loropetalum  chinense  is  a  beautiful  winter-flowering 
deciduous  shrub,  with  white  strap-shaped  petals. 

The  Olearias  are  chiefly  important  owing  to  the  species 
Haastii,  an  evergreen  perfectly  hardy,  and  producing 
white  flowers  in  summer,  which  last  a  month  or  more. 
It  is  of  dense  habit,  and  grows  about  four  feet  high. 
Gunnii  is,  however,  good. 

There  are  apparently  many  hardy  species  of  Osmanthus, 
but  in  reality  most  of  those  grown  under  what  appear 
to  be  specific  names  are  varieties  of  Aquifolium,  a  dense 
bush  with  spiny  leaves  from  Japan.  Ilicifolius  is  the  best- 
known  variety,  and  it  is  even  more  spiny  than  the  type. 
Argenteo-variegatus,  aureo-variegatus,  purpureus,  etc., 
are  other  forms. 

The  tree  Paeonies  are  handsome  for  bold  groups  or 
lawn  beds.  In  rich  soil  individual  plants  attain  to  great 
size,  and  produce  enormous  flowers  of  brilliant  colours. 

Few  small  evergreens  are  so  beautiful  as  the  Fernet- 


288  THE   NEW    GARDENING 

tyas,  for  they  are  of  dense  habit  and  cover  themselves 
after  flowering  with  berries,  differing  in  colour  according 
to  the  variety,  and  hanging  through  the  winter.  In 
ordering  a  given  number  of  plants  it  may  be  stated,  if 
desired,  that  varieties  with  berries  of  different  colours 
are  wanted.  The  Pernettyas  are  peat-lovers,  and  like 
moist  soil. 

The  Mock  Oranges  or  Philadelphus  are  somewhat  tall 
growers,  and  are  apt  to  be  straggly  and  ungainly  unless 
carefully  pruned ;  but  they  can  be  kept  in  shape  with 
timely  attention,  and  if  the  beauty  of  their  large,  ivory- 
coloured  flowers  was  not  enough  to  recommend  them  to 
growers  their  perfume  would  be.  Of  the  species,  coron- 
arius  and  grandiflorus  are  the  most  common.  There  are 
varieties  of  both.  There  are,  for  example,  both  silver 
and  golden  variegated  forms  of  coronarius,  and  a  double. 
There  is  a  very  free-flowering  variety  of  grandiflorus 
called  floribundus.  But  the  chief  interest  of  the  Mock 
Oranges  lies  in  the  modern  hybrids  and  their  forms,  such 
as  Lemoinei,  L.  erectus — both  dwarf  growers  and  free 
bloomers — Avalanche,  Boule  d' Argent,  and  Fantaisie, 
white,  rose-tinted,  sweet.  The  name  Syringa  is  occasion- 
ally, and  erroneously,  applied  to  the  Philadelphus. 

The  Phillyreas  are  good  evergreens  of  dense  habit  and 
somewhat  low  growth.  Of  the  few  species  angustifolia, 
with  narrow  leaves  ;  chrysophylla,  scented  ;  decora  (syn. 
Vilmoriniana)  ;  and  latifolia,  broad  leaved,  are  the  best 
known. 

Rhododendrons  must  be  given  pride  of  place  as  the 
greatest  of  all  evergreen  shrubs,  and  whoever  has  a  fair 
amount  of  space  and  soil  free  from  lime  should  plant 
large  beds  with  these  glorious  plants.  They  love  peat 
and  bog  earth,  but  they  will  thrive  in  loam  lightened 
with  leaf  mould  and  sand,  When  a  compost  is  prepared 


THE   NEW    SHRUB   BEAUTY         289 

it  should  be  kept  in  a  lumpy  state,  not  broken  up  into 
fine  particles.  The  site  should  be  kept  free  from  stagnant 
water,  by  drainage  if  necessary.  A  great  cultural  point 
is  to  nip  off  the  seed  pods  directly  the  plants  go  out  of 
bloom,  but  the  heads  of  decayed  flowers  should  not  be 
removed  entirely,  because  the  new  growth  starts  from 
the  base.  The  roots  of  Rhododendrons  are  thin  and 
shallow,  so  that  a  deep  bed  of  prepared  compost  is  not 
necessary  at  the  outset,  but  top  dressings  of  fresh  soil 
and  cow  manure  will  be  beneficial  every  two  or  three 
years.  It  is  a  fact  worth  noting  that  if  the  soil  is  very 
loose  the  whole  plant  is  sometimes  bent  to  one  side  by 
snow. 

With  respect  to  a  selection  of  hybrids  and  varieties, 
Early  Gem  may  first  be  noted  as  a  dwarf  and  very  free- 
flower  ing.  variety  of  a  pale  mauve  hue.  Among  the  best 
of  the  newer  kinds  are  Alice,  a  deeper  Pink  Pearl; 
Princess  Juliana,  blush ;  and  Gill's  Goliath,  blush  with 
a  deeper  edge. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  best  standard  sorts : 

Baron  Schroder,  plum. 

Blanche  Superbe,  white. 
*Concessum,  deep  pink. 

Jas.  Nasmyth,  lilac,  maroon  blotch. 

John  Walter,  crimson. 
*  John  Waterer,  bright  crimson. 

Lady  Armstrong,  rose,  lighter  centre. 
*Lady  C.  Mitford,  peach. 

Lady  Falmouth,  rose,  black  blotch 

Lord  Palmerston,  carmine-rose. 

Memoir,  white. 
*Michael  Waterer,  scarlet. 

*  These  are  particularly  good. 


290  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Mrs.  Stirling,  pink. 
*Mrs.  John  Glutton,  white. 

Old  Port,  plum. 
*Pink  Pearl,  light  pink. 

Purity,  white,  yellow  eye. 
*Sappho,  white,  maroon  blotches. 
*The  Queen,  blush. 

A  newly  introduced  Alpine  Rhododendron  of  con- 
siderable interest,  suitable  for  the  rock  garden,  is  intri- 
catum,  a  tiny  plant  only  a  few  inches  high,  with  a  very 
small  leaf.  It  was  sent  from  China  by  the  famous  plant- 
collector  Wilson.  The  flowers  are  mauve  and  barely 
half  an  inch  across  ;  they  are  borne  in  trusses. 

The  flowering  Currants,  Ribes,  are  somewhat  common 
but  useful  shrubs,  flowering  early  and  profusely.  The 
dark  varieties  of  sanguineum,  such  as  atrorubens  and 
atrosanguineum,  are  worthy  of  attention. 

Romneya  Coulteri,  the  great  white  Californian  Poppy, 
has  now  become  fairly  familiar  in  gardens.  The  less- 
known  species  trichocalyx  so  nearly  resembles  Coulteri 
that  it  is  not  necessary  to  grow  both.  A  deep,  friable 
soil  and  a  sheltered  site  are  desirable. 

The  garden  Brambles,  such  as  Rubus  deliciosus,  with 
large  white  flowers  showing  up  against  the  dark  bark, 
are  deserving  of  space.  Biflorus  and  lasiostylus  are 
grown  for  their  white  stems. 

The  Spiraeas  are  of  great  value,  and  arguta,  a  hybrid, 
is  particularly  beautiful,  with  its  long  sprays  of  pure 
white  bloom  in  spring.  Japonica  (syn.  callosa)  with  flat 
heads  of  red  flowers  in  summer,  and  its  excellent  varieties 
Anthony  Waterer,  Bumalda  and  ruberrima,  are  worthy 
of  places.  Bracteata,  a  late  spring  bloomer  with  flowers 

*  These  are  particularly  good/ 


THE   NEW   SHRUB   BEAUTY         291 

in  flat  heads  ;  Douglasi,  with  racemes  of  red  flowers  in 
summer ;  Aitchisonii,  with  long  sprays  of  white  bloom 
in  summer ;  prunifolia  and  its  double  form,  Lindleyana 
and  Thunbergi  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  good  plants 
which  are  to  be  found  among  the  Meadow-sweets. 

Stuartia  Pseudo-Camellia  is  a  beautiful  deciduous 
shrub  with  large  white  flowers  and  Camellia-like  leaves 
which  assume  brilliant  tints  in  the  fall. 

Styrax  Japonicum  and  S.  Obassia  are  graceful  deciduous 
shrubs  or  small  trees  ;  the  latter  is  particularly  beautiful, 
with  its  fine  foliage  and  profusion  of  white  fragrant 
campanulate  blossoms,  which  are  borne  in  terminal 
racemes. 

The  Veronicas  are  extremely  useful  to  gardeners  who 
work  on  poor  chalky  soils.  Andersoni  variegata  is  one 
of  the  great  plants  of  the  city  gardeners,  who  propagate 
it  by  cuttings  both  in  spring  and  autumn,  and  make 
extensive  use  of  it  in  beds.  It  is  a  beautiful  plant  with 
silver  variegated  leaves  and  pale  mauve  flowers.  Tra- 
versii,  white,  is  hardy  and  useful.  Cupressoides  is  like 
a  small  Cypress,  and  is  used  on  the  rockery.  Speciosa, 
an  evergreen  with  deep  blue  flowers,  is  very  showy,  but 
is  not  quite  so  hardy  as  Traversii.  Hulkeana  has  dense 
panicles  of  lilac-coloured  flowers. 

The  most  beautiful  of  the  deciduous  Viburnums,  with 
the  possible  exception  of  Opulus  sterile,  the  well-known 
"  Snowball  Tree,"  is  plicatum,  a  splendid  shrub  which 
is  covered  with  flattish  white  flowers  in  late  spring.  It 
likes  a  moist,  peaty  soil.  V.  tomentosum  Mariesii  is  a 
handsome  Japanese  plant  allied  to  plicatum  and  bearing 
white  flowers  in  May.  V.  rhytidophyllum  is  a  fine  Vibur- 
num with  broad  lanceolate  leaves  and  creamy  flowers  in 
corymbs,  followed  by  red  berries.  It  is  evergreen  and 
hardy. 


PART   II 
THE   NEW   FRUIT-GROWING 


CHAPTER   I 

THE   MODERN   BEAR-QUICK  APPLE 

THE  old  fruit-growing  cultivated  a  large  tree  to  get  a 
small  fruit ;  the  new  gathers  a  large  fruit  off  a  small 
tree. 

The  reduction  of  the  tree  and  the  enlargement  of  the 
fruit  marks  in  a  phrase  the  genius  of  the  new  fruit- 
growing. 

The  new  fruit  tree  is  not  only  a  Big-fruit  tree,  it  is 
also  a  Bear-quick  tree.  The  grower  gets  large  fruit  and 
gets  it  soon. 

The  small  tree  with  the  large  fruit  opens  up  fruit- 
growing to  the  thousands  of  people  with  small  gardens 
who  used  to  feel  that  under  the  regime  of  the  large,  slow- 
bearing  tree  considerations  of  space  and  time  both  stood 
in  the  way  of  their  planting  trees. 

For  there  to  be  a  nation  of  fruit-growers  there  must 
be  a  nation  of  fruit-lovers.  The  vegetarian,  fruitarian 
and  nutarian  societies  have  done  good  service  by  hammer- 
ing into  the  public  the  fact  that  the  daily  dietary  of 
everybody,  young  and  old,  can  only  be  perfect  when  it 
includes  a  supply  of  fruit.  Therefore,  whether  we  are 
of  the  elect  or  not  we  will  give  them  praise  and 
honour. 

Fruit  on  the  table  every  day  with  beef,  bacon,  bread, 
butter,  Potatoes  and  such  other  comestibles  as  may  be 
found  there  means  an  extended  acreage  of  trees  in 

295 


296  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

England,  in  America,  in  Canada,  in  Australia,  in  New 
Zealand,  in  Tasmania.  An  Apple-eating  movement  in 
Manchester  or  Buffalo  would  make  its  influence  felt  in 
Maidstone,  Victoria  and  Hobart.  Regular  fruit-eating 
establishes  the  greengrocer  on  the  same  secure  footing 
as  the  butcher.  It  means  a  steady,  sustained  trade. 
But  it  does  not  so  surely  favour  the  doctor  and  the 
chemist. 

Quick-bearer  fruit  trees  are  as  valuable  to  the  nation 
as  quick-firing  guns. 

The  Big-fruit,  Bear-quick  tree  is  peculiarly  the  stamp 
for  the  home-grower ;  the  market-grower  is  not  yet 
convinced  that  it  suits  his  purpose  best.  Observe,  the 
latter  does  not  object  to  the  principle  of  quick-bearing, 
very  much  the  contrary  indeed.  But  he  is  not  satisfied 
that  the  small  tree  with  which  it  is  associated  is  quite 
the  thing  for  him.  The  first  cost  of  planting  up  a  con- 
siderable area  with  small  trees  is  greater  than  with 
large  ones,  not  because  the  trees  are  dearer — they  are 
cheaper — but  because  many  more  are  required  per  acre 
and  the  labour  bill,  is  higher. 

The  ideal  tree  for  the  market-grower  would  be  one 
which  grew  fast  into  a  big  tree  and  at  the  same  time 
cropped  early  and  bore  large  fruit.  The  varieties  which 
come  nearest  to  this  ideal  are  those  which  the  marketer 
likes  best. 

The  small  Bear-quick  fruit  tree  is  a  priceless  boon  to 
the  small  gardener  and  the  aged.  In  the  second  year 
from  planting  nice  crops  may  be  gathered  from  it.  There 
is  no  wearisome  waiting  while  season  succeeds  season. 
By  the  time  the  big  slow-bearer  has  got  to  work  the 
small  quick-fruiter  has  given  its  pecks,  its  half-bushels, 
even  its  bushels,  each  fall  for  quite  a  respectable  tale  of 
years.  Add  these  small  quantities  together  and  they 


THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE     297 

form  a  bulk  considerable  enough  to  give  the  big  tree  a 
stiff  task  in  making  up  leeway. 

The  small  Bear-quick  fruit  tree  is  cheap,  handy  and 
easy  to  manage.  It  will  thrive  in  nearly  every  garden. 
It  likes  least  a  bleak  situation  on  shallow  soil,  for  there 
it  is  short  of  food  and  over-full  of  rough  tumbling  by  cold 
winds.  It  enjoys  most  a  sheltered  but  not  shady  place 
where  the  soil  is  deep  and  fertile. 

The  Bear-quick  tree  is  of  several  kinds — Apple,  Pear, 
Plum,  Cherry.  Each  has  the  same  traits  of  compact 
habit,  surface  rooting  and  early  bearing.  It  takes  its 
character  mainly  from  the  stock  on  which  it  is  grown. 
Trees  from  seeds  and  cuttings  rarely  have  the  qualities 
desired,  and  none  but  raisers  of  new  varieties  should 
enter  on  the  ill-requited  task  of  handling  them. 

The  Bear-quick  Apple  is  the  king  of  garden  fruits.  It 
is  at  once  delicious  and  wholesome,  stimulating  and 
sustaining.  The  small  boy  may  groan  over  the  green 
Apple,  but  the  chemist  would  groan  over  an  empty  shop 
if  a  sound  ripe  Apple  passed  down  his  gloating  gullet 
morning  and  night  till  his  life's  end,  which  would  be 
long  deferred.  The  boy  and  the  green  Apple  form  an 
old,  old  jest.  The  man  and  the  ripe  Apple  are  becoming 
dead  earnest. 

The  Apple,  which  is  a  naturally  slow  bearer,  may  be 
quickened  by  a  hustling  stock,  but  there  are  some 
varieties  which  will  never  allow  themselves  to  be  prodded 
into  early  bearing.  They  are  not  necessarily  bad  Apples  ; 
they  are  only  bad  from  the  quick-bearing  point  of  view. 
You  cannot  call  Blenheim  Orange  a  bad  Apple  because 
it  is  a  slow  bearer ;  you  can  only  say  that  it  is  out  of 
place  in  the  Bear-quick  collection.  Intrinsically  it  is  a 
good  Apple,  but  it  is  a  plodder.  It  is  not  a  piecework 
variety ;  it  is  one  of  the  old  school  which  believes  in  the 


298  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

motto  slow  and  sure,  not  having  learned  that  quick  and 
sure  is  better.  Still  less  would  you  call  Bramley's  Seed- 
ling a  bad  Apple.  It  is  one  of  the  best.  It  bears  heavily 
and  regularly  when  its  wood  is  ripe,  it  is  a  large  heavy 
fruit,  it  keeps  splendidly,  its  flavour  is  excellent.  It  is, 
however,  one  of  the  slow  brigade.  It  resembles  Blenheim, 
yet  does  not  carry  deliberation  to  such  a  trying  extreme. 

What  are  some  of  the  best  of  the  quick-bearing  Apples  ? 
Let  us  have  their  names  and  their  seasons  before  us.  It 
may  be  better  to  take  them  in  approximate  order  of 
ripening  rather  than  in  alphabetical  order,  and  to  begin 
with  culinary  varieties. 

Keswick  Codlin. — One  of  the  oldest  of  the  early  Codlins, 
displaced  from  many  gardens  by  larger  sorts,  but  ex- 
celled by  few  in  early  and  continued  productiveness,  and 
superior  in  bleak  places  where  the  soil  is  poor.  It  is  a 
late  bloomer,  and  is  not  often  injured  by  frost. 

Lord  Suffield. — The  best  of  the  early  Codlins  for  light, 
fertile  soil  and  a  mild  situation ;  a  larger  fruit  than 
Keswick  Codlin,  but  not  vigorous  enough  for  cold  soil 
and  climate. 

Lord  Grosvenor. — A  very  good  early  Codlin  where  the 
soil  is  rather  too  heavy  for  Lord  Suffield.  Yields  well  as  a 
young  tree,  in  fact,  a  very  good  representative  of  the 
Bear-quick  type. 

Early  Victoria  (Emneth  Early). — A  splendid  early 
variety  for  light,  loamy  soil,  makes  a  large  tree  quickly 
and  bears  young. 

Red  Victoria. — A  highly  coloured  form  of  the  fore- 
going. 

Baron  Wolseley. — A  large  Apple  of  beautiful  form  and 
colour,  but  needs  a  good,  loamy  soil. 

King  of  Tompkins  County. — A  variety  of  high  colour 
and  very  productive,  but  unsuitable  for  stiff  soil.  One  of 


THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE     299 

the  best  for  very  light  land.    On  the  best  Apple  soils  it  is 
somewhat  soft. 

Potts's  Seedling. — One  of  the  most  pronounced  quick- 
bearers  of  them  all,  and  a  compact  grower,  therefore  good 
for  a  small  garden.  It  is  one  of  the  best  Apples  for  a 
town  garden. 

Bismarck. — A  quick  bearer  of  the  most  determined 
type,  and  likes  a  holding  soil.  It  colours  deeply  and 
generally  carries  an  oleaginous  covering  on  the  skin. 
Moderate  flavour. 

Stirling  Castle. — The  king  of  the  Bear-quicks  from  the 
point  of  view  of  mere  precocity,  and  a  good  cooking  Apple 
too  ;  but  not  suited  for  poor  or  stiff  soil. 

Ecklinville  Seedling. — A  true  Bear-quick,  a  heavy 
cropper,  and  of  excellent  flavour.  One  of  the  best. 

Royal  Jubilee. — A  long,  narrowish,  conical  Apple,  one 
of  the  latest  to  start  in  spring,  therefore  rarely  affected 
by  frost ;  and  one  of  the  earliest  to  finish  in  autumn.  A 
heavy  bearer. 

Lord  Derby. — One  of  the  finest  of  all  the  autumn 
cookers,  a  sure  and  heavy  bearer  of  solid,  conical  fruit, 
which  colours  pale  yellow  if  left  to  ripen. 

Warner's  King. — A  real  Bear-quick,  a  flattish  but  heavy 
fruit  of  good  quality,  makes  a  good  small  bush  for  the 
confined  garden. 

Byford  Wonder. — A  variety  of  the  Warner's  King  type, 
and  if  anything  better  because  more  solid.  A  modern 
sort  of  great  merit. 

Norfolk  Beauty. — A  splendid  new  October  Apple,  a 
sure  and  heavy  bearer  in  the  young  tree,  and  soon  makes 
a  large  head  as  a  standard. 

King  Edward  VII. — An  improved  form  of  the  old  Bear- 
quick  called  Golden  Noble,  one  of  the  best  of  the  second- 
class  varieties. 


300  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Cox's  Pomona. — An  Apple  of  splendid  form  and  colour, 
but  too  soft  to  be  of  the  highest  class. 

Peasgood's  Nonsuch. — The  handsomest  of  all  the 
culinary  Apples,  and  a  sure  prize-winner.  It  gives  the 
largest  size  as  well  as  the  most  beautiful  form.  A  Bear- 
quick  and  adapted  to  most  soils.  Table  quality  hardly 
of  the  highest,  but  certainly  a  variety  to  plant. 

Rev.  W.  Wilks. — A  cross  between  a  dessert  and  a 
culinary  variety,  having  been  raised  between  Ribston 
Pippin  and  Peasgood's  Nonsuch.  As  much  a  dessert  as  a 
cooking  variety,  and  a  good  Apple. 

Annie  Elizabeth. — As  it  is  a  naturally  vigorous  grower 
this  variety  may  be  chosen  for  poor  soil,  although  it  is  a 
little  soft  and  lacking  the  highest  table  quality. 

Golden  Spire. — A  real  Bear-quick  and  one  of  the  surest 
bearers.  Conical,  colours  yellow,  rather  small. 

Rambling  Seedling. — A  large,  solid,  heavy  Apple. 

Grenadier. — A  good  Bear-quick.    Conical.    Yields  well. 

Blenheim  Orange. — A  Bear-slow  of  the  most  uncom- 
promising type.  Best  left  alone  by  Apple-planters  who 
have  passed  three-score-and-ten. 

Lane's  Prince  Albert. — One  of  the  best  of  the  Bear- 
quicks,  being  a  sure  and  heavy  bearer  and  a  long  keeper. 
Everybody  should  plant  it  for  every  purpose. 

Newton  Wonder. — One  of  the  best  long  keepers,  and  a 
variety  of  good  constitution.  Inferior  only  to  Bramley's 
Seedling  and  Blenheim  as  an  orchard  standard,  and  bears 
sooner  than  either. 

Wellington. — Fairly  quick  bearing,  and  of  the  finest 
table  quality.  A  grand  Apple  for  the  good-soil  garden. 

Bramley's  Seedling. — Not  a  true  Bear-quick,  and  yet 
must  be  planted  by  everybody  because  of  its  sure  and 
heavy  cropping,  fine  keeping  powers  and  splendid  table 
quality.  The  best  orchard  standard. 


THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE    301 

Beauty  of  Stoke. — A  newish  late  keeper.  A  Bear-quick 
and  of  good  flavour. 

This  is  a  fairly  long  list,  but  it  does  not  exhaust  the 
list  of  Apples  that  are  good  croppers,  and  are  of  agreeable 
table  quality. 

Waltham  Abbey  Seedling,  Hoary  Morning,  Murfitt's 
Seedling,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Yorkshire  Beauty,  Lady 
Henniker,  Mere  de  Menage,  Gascoyne's  Seedling,  Northern 
Greening  and  Bess  Pool  all  have  considerable  merit. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  name  a  few  of  the  best  dessert 
Apples,  placing  them  in  approximate  ripening  order,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  cooking  sorts. 

Gladstone. — Very  early,  bright  in  colour  and  a  free 
bearer,  but  only  of  moderate  flavour. 

Irish  Peach. — A  firmer  and  better-flavoured  variety 
than  Gladstone,  but  a  light  bearer  and  a  rather  straggling 
tree. 

Beauty  of  Bath. — A  small  flat  variety  of  good  flavour 
and  a  Bear-quick.  One  of  the  best  of  the  very  early 
sorts. 

Duchess  of  Gloucester  (Duchess's  Favourite). — A  small 
flat  Apple  of  brilliant  colour. 

Colonel  Vaughan. — A  conical  Apple  of  brilliant  colour, 
smaller  than  Worcester  Pearmain. 

Worcester  Pearmain. — The  best  of  the  second  earlies,  a 
Bear-quick,  a  sure  yielder  and  makes  a  compact  bush. 
Flesh  juicy  but  not  of  the  richest  flavour. 

Egremont  Russet. — A  Bear-quick  of  excellent  flavour, 
ready  in  October.  Crops  well. 

Allington  Pippin. — A  new  variety  of  free  and  early 
cropping  powers,  and  only  wanting  a  touch  of  rich  flavour 
to  be  one  of  the  best.  A  variety  of  good  constitution  and 
suitable  for  poor  soil. 

James  Grieve. — A  splendid  new  sort,  a  true  Bear-quick* 


302  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

crops  heavily,  is  of  good  appearance  and  has  agreeable 
flavour.    One  of  the  best. 

Ben's  Red. — A  flat  Apple  coloured  all  over,  an  im- 
proved Quarrenden. 

Charles  Ross. — One  of  a  set  of  remarkable  Apples  raised 
from  crosses  between  Peasgood's  Nonsuch  and  Cox's 
Orange  Pippin.  An  earlier  and  larger  Apple  than  the 
incomparable  Cox's,  it  has  much  the  same  appearance 
and  something  of  the  flavour.  A  free  and  early  bearer  as 
a  young  bush.  It  should  be  eaten  soon  after  it  is  gathered, 
because  it  does  not  improve  with  keeping  up  to  mid- 
winter in  the  same  way  that  Cox's  does. 

Adams's  Pearmain. — A  conical  Apple  of  good  appear- 
ance and  quality. 

Wm.  Crump. — A  new  variety  raised  from  a  cross  be- 
tween Cox's  Orange  Pippin  and  Worcester  Pearmain,  a 
good  variety. 

Rival. — A  variety  of  the  same  parentage  as  Chas.  Ross, 
and  a  highly  promising  one.  On  a  good  loamy  soil  it 
is  splendid.  In  shape  it  differs  from  Chas.  Ross  and  Cox's, 
being  more  conical,  but  it  has  a  similar  russety  and  mellow 
appearance. 

The  Houblon. — Of  the  same  parentage  as  Chas.  Ross  and 
Rival,  this  resembles  the  former  more  than  the  latter.  A 
good  variety. 

Coronation. — A  new  Apple  of  remarkable  beauty  and 
fair  table  quality,  but  soft  and  a  poor  keeper. 

Belle  de  Boskoop. — A  large,  solid  fruit  of  good  flavour 
and  well  suited  for  Christmas  use,  as  it  is  a  good  keeper. 

King's  Acre  Pippin. — An  excellent  Christmas  variety, 
a  good  cropper  and  of  excellent  flavour. 

Cox's  Orange  Pippin. — The  best  all-round  dessert 
Apple,  in  spite  of  being  a  little  capricious  as  to  soil,  for  it 
is  a  Bear-quick,  crops  abundantly,  keeps  till  mid- winter  and 


THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE     303 

is  of  delicious  flavour.  As  a  rule  it  should  not  be  eaten 
much  before  Christmas,  as  in  autumn  the  flesh  is  rather 
hard,  but  it  varies  with  the  soil.  Stiff  or  very  poor  ground 
should  be  avoided  for  this  splendid  Apple. 

Ribston  Pippin. — Unexcelled  in  flavour,  but  a  very 
capricious  sort,  which  cannot  be  relied  upon  in  stiff  soil  or 
poor  ground.  It  requires  a  warm,  well-drained,  fertile, 
loamy  soil. 

King  of  the  Pippins. — A  late  bloomer  which  frequently 
misses  the  late  frosts  that  are  disastrous  in  their  effects  on 
other  varieties.  A  variety,  too,  of  excellent  flavour  and 
good  keeping  qualities.  But  it  is  very  subject  to  canker 
except  on  the  best  of  soils. 

Winter  Queening. — An  old  variety  which  makes  a  good 
standard,  is  hardy  and  thrives  on  heavy  land.  The  quality 
is  not  of  the  highest,  but  the  variety  is  a  very  useful  one. 
A  late  bloomer  and  a  good  keeper. 

Jonathan. — A  beautiful  Apple  of  good  flavour  and 
bright  colour.  Keeps  well. 

Sturmer  Pippin. — A  long  keeper  of  good,  though  not 
superlative  flavour.  A  free  cropper. 

Baumann's  Red  Winter  Reinette. — An  excellent  Bear- 
quick,  cropping  heavily  on  the  young  tree.  The  fruit 
colours  all  over  and  can  boast  a  good  flavour  without  being 
quite  in  the  front  rank.  A  good  keeper. 

Roundway  Magnum  Bonum. — A  large,  solid  and  heavy 
Apple,  a  good  bearer  and  a  long  keeper.  Of  good  flavour, 
and  may  be  classed  with  Blenheim  as  a  variety  equally 
useful  for  cooking  and  dessert. 

Court-Pendu-Pldt. — One  of  the  latest  blooming  of  all 
Apples  and  on  that  account  rarely  injured  by  frost. 
One  of  the  best  keepers  and  of  good  flavour.  A  small 
flat  fruit  with  depressed  eye. 

Duke  of  Devonshire, — A  small  variety  of  entirely  un- 


304  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

distinguished  appearance,  but  useful  on  account  of  its 
exceptional  keeping  properties.  The  flavour  is  good. 

Blue  Pear  main. — A  solid  conical  Apple  of  remarkable 
colour,  the  burnished  fruit  having  a  decided  bluish  tint. 
It  is  one  of  the  latest  of  all,  keeping  until  May. 

To  this  already  long  list  of  good  dessert  Apples  it 
would  be  quite  easy  to  add  more,  such  as  Langley  Pippin, 
Feltham  Beauty  (two  promising  new  varieties),  Chelms- 
ford  Wonder,  the  old  Dutch  Mignonne,  Christmas  Pear- 
main,  Winter  Ribston,  Claygate  Pearmain,  Wyken 
Pippin,  Wealthy  (a  brilliant  but  soft  fruit),  St.  Everard 
(a  cross  between  Cox's  Orange  Pippin  and  Margil), 
Cornish  Gilliflower,  Winter  Quarrenden,  Devonshire 
Quarrenden,  Fearn's  Pippin,  Red  Astrachan,  Newtown 
Pippin  and  Yellow  Ingestre — all  varieties  with  one  good 
quality  or  another  to  recommend  them.  Indeed,  the 
number  of  good  Apples  runs  to  hundreds. 

There  is  one  class  of  grower  who  does  not  object  to  see 
a  long  list  of  varieties,  and  that  is  the  connoisseur  who 
favours  the  cordon — a  tree  of  one  or  two  branches,  re- 
quiring little  room,  and  permitting  of  a  considerable 
number  of  varieties  being  grown  on  a  small  area  of 
ground.  To  such  a  person  a  long-continued  supply  is  of 
greater  importance  than  a  large  bulk  of  fruit  at  one 
particular  period.  To  savour  a  good  Apple  day  by  day 
from  August  to  July,  to  ring  the  changes  on  the  very 
best  sorts,  is  his  laudable  desire. 

The  market-grower  is  situated  differently.  Small 
quantities  of  fruit,  however  fine  in  appearance  and 
delicious  in  flavour,  are  of  no  use  to  him,  for  he  cannot 
establish  an  enduring  trade.  He  must  aim  at  large 
bulks. 

We  have  seen  that  the  Bear-quick  Apple  does  not 
take  its  character  entirely  from  the  variety.  The  stock 


THE  MODERN  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE    305 

has  its  share.  The  same  Apple  may  differ  considerably 
on  two  stocks.  It  may  differ  in  weight,  in  colour  and  in 
flavour.  It  may  come  larger  and  brighter  on  the  Paradise 
than  on  the  Crab  stock,  but  less  solid  and  less  durable. 
The  Paradise  is  the  quick-bearing  stock.  On  it  a  variety 
which  has  anything  of  precocity  about  it  will  be  en- 
couraged to  bear  quickly.  Every  particle  of  the  spirit  of 
hustle  will  be  brought  into  play. 

The  fruit-grower  who  wants  early  crops  should  ask 
for  the  Paradise  stock,  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the 
broad-leaved  form  (for  even  Paradise  has  its  variations  !) 
will  suit  him  best.  Only  in  the  deepest  and  richest  of 
soils  should  he  take  the  narrow-leaved  for  preference, 
on  the  ground  that  its  weaker  growth  may  favour  earlier 
fruiting. 


u 


CHAPTER    II 

THE   MANAGEMENT   OF   THE   BEAR-QUICK   APPLE 

THE  Bear-quick  is  an  interesting  tree  and  it  is  responsive. 
The  gentle  arts  of  peaceful  persuasion  find  in  it  a  kindly 
subject.  It  is  by  nature  fruitful  and  only  under  serious 
mismanagement  does  it  refuse  to  play  its  part. 

To  the  old-time  fruit-grower  the  thought  of  fruit  in 
the  second  year  after  planting  might  awaken  alarm.  He 
does  not,  he  may  tell  you,  believe  in  early  fruiting,  because 
it  is  bad  for  the  trees.  He  is  quite  likely  to  take  the  line 
that  a  tree  which  is  fruited  too  soon  is  crippled  in  growth, 
dragged  out  of  shape  and  made  stunted.  He  has  a 
reason  for  what  he  says  and  we  must  acknowledge  it 
and  act  with  judgment. 

Undoubtedly  there  are  fruit  trees  which  are  injured 
by  early  cropping.  I  can  readily  suppose  a  young 
standard  tree,  lifted  with  loss  of  roots  in  autumn  and 
left  unpruned  after  being  replanted,  cropping  too  freely 
for  its  own  good  in  the  ensuing  year.  This  young  tree 
may  have  buds  on  the  branches  which  the  check  of  lift- 
ing causes  to  plump  up  into  fruit  buds.  Root  restric- 
tion generally  has  the  effect  of  hastening  flowering.  As 
the  branches  are  not  very  strong  the  weight  of  fruit  may 
pull  the  tree  out  of  shape  ;  and  as  it  is  short  of  roots  the 
strain  of  the  crop  and  of  forming  new  branches  may  be 
too  much  for  it.  Such  a  tree  is  likely  to  be  weaker  two 
years  after  planting  than  when  it  was  first  put  in. 

306 


THE   BEAR-QUICK   APPLE  307 

But  the  Bear-quick  is  a  different  type  of  tree.  It  is 
either  a  cordon  or  a  bush.  As  a  cordon  it  will  certainly 
not  be  retarded  by  the  immature  side  branches  bearing 
fruit  prematurely,  for  the  simple  but  sufficient  reason 
that  there  are  no  side  branches  on  it.  The  wood  on  the 
cordon  tree  which  reaches  the  grower  from  the  nursery- 
man is  mature,  except  for  the  foot  or  so  of  young  wood 
which  represents  the  summer  extension,  or  such  part 
thereof  as  the  nurseryman  has  left  unshortened.  Being 
mature  wood  it  is  likely  to  have  fruit  buds  as  a  result 
of  previous  pruning,  not  buds  formed  hurriedly  as  the 
result  of  a  check  to  the  roots. 

The  old-time  fruit-grower  does  not  know  very  much 
about  cordon  trees.  His  experience  in  fruit-growing  has 
been  gained  with  a  different  class.  It  is  valuable  as  far 
as  it  goes,  but  it  does  not  go  far  enough  to  affect  the 
cordon  question.  There  is  no  reason  whatever  why  a 
cordon  fruit  tree  should  not  bear  fruit  the  second  year 
after  planting  ;  for  the  matter  of  that,  there  is  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  bear  the  first  year.  The  deciding 
factor  here  is  the  quality  of  the  tree.  If  a  cordon  tree 
has  been  handled  well  by  the  nurseryman  who  grew  it 
— and  it  will  have  been  if  he  is  a  specialist  in  this  type — 
it  may  certainly  be  allowed  to  bear  a  few  fruits  on  the 
main  stem  the  first  year  after  planting.  Six  or  seven 
fruits  would  do  no  harm,  and  would  be  useful  to  the 
grower.  But  although  this  tree  would  not  be  thrown 
back,  dragged  out  of  shape  and  stunted  by  early  bearing, 
like  a  young  standard  fruited  on  immature  wood,  it 
would  not  bear  a  good  crop  of  fruit  the  following  year 
unless  it  was  properly  pruned. 

Whatever  differences  of  opinion  there  may  be  among 
fruit-growing  experts  as  to  the  time  and  method  of  prun- 
ing standard  fruit  trees — and  there  certainly  are  dis- 


308  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

agreements — there  is  practically  unanimity  among  ex- 
perts about  the  necessity  of  summer-pruning  cordons. 
The  cordon  fruit  tree  is  bound  up  with  summer  pruning. 
One  might  say  that  summer  pruning  is  of  the  essence  of 
its  being.  It  cannot  be  a  cordon  unless  it  is  pruned 
annually,  and  it  is  practically  imperative  that  part  of 
that  pruning  shall  be  summer  pruning.  It  is  in  this 
connection  that  the  old-time  fruit-grower  fails  to  be 
helpful.  It  is  here  that  his  experience  proves  to  be  in- 
adequate. He  has  rarely  either  studied  the  theory  or 
practised  the  work  of  summer  pruning,  and  consequently 
he  does  not  understand  it. 

With  summer  pruning,  a  cordon  fruit  that  is  given  a 
free  head-run  and  is  growing  in  fertile  soil  should  bear 
fruit  not  only  the  first  year  after  planting,  but  every  year 
afterwards.  When  a  cordon  fruit  tree  is  left  unpruned 
altogether  it  is  no  longer  a  cordon.  It  may  be  turned 
into  a  bush,  or  a  pyramid,  or  a  half  standard,  but  it  is 
not  a  cordon.  Winter  pruning  alone,  properly  directed, 
will  keep  it  a  cordon,  but  will  not  ensure  regular  bearing 
every  year. 

The  connoisseur  of  fruit  should  aim  at  regular  cropping. 
He  should  fix  the  ideal  of  a  constant  annual  supply  of 
delicious  and  wholesome  Apples  and  Pears.  It  is  per- 
fectly feasible,  given  a  reasonably  good  fruit  soil.  It  is 
possible  in  poor  soil,  but  only  by  a  scientific  system  of 
feeding. 

Neither  the  theory  nor  the  practice  of  summer  pruning 
is  difficult  to  learn.  The  working-class  employe  of  the 
nurseryman  masters  it,  and  there  is  no  reason,  therefore, 
why  an  intelligent  and  educated  amateur  gardener  should 
not  do  so.  Let  us  give  a  few  moments'  consideration 
to  it. 

As  the  cordon  tree  reaches  us  from  the  dealer  we  find 


[ 


•*    -T*    •*><>  e        v 


THE   BEAR-QUICK   APPLE  309 

it  to  consist  of  a  long  stem,  tapering  from  half  an  inch 
to  two  inches  thick,  with  stumps  at  intervals  from  the 
ground  mark  upwards.  These  stumps  are  all  that  the 
nurseryman  has  left  of  the  side  branches.  At  the  base 
of  the  stumps  are  buds  of  varying  degrees  of  plumpness  : 
some  quite  fat  and  round,  others  thin  and  pointed,  others 
again  at  a  half-way  stage  between  the  two.  The  first  kind 
are  fruit  buds,  the  second  wood  buds,  the  third  miniature 
buds.  So  much  for  the  winter  condition. 

With  the  spring  there  comes  a  strong  flow  of  sap,  and 
the  buds  swell.  The  plump  buds  burst  into  bloom  and 
leaf,  for  each  of  these  fat  buds  has  incipient  foliage  as 
well  as  fruit  wrapped  up  in  it.  The  thin  buds  merely 
make  growth.  The  half-way  buds  may  have  plumped 
up  during  the  winter  and  become  fruit  buds. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  spring  start,  the  tree  is  on  the 
way  to  bear,  not  only  a  crop  of  fruit,  but  a  number  of 
side  branches.  These  extend  more  or  less  rapidly  ac- 
cording to  the  soil  and  the  weather.  By  the  end  of  June 
they  may  be  a  foot  long,  by  the  end  of  July  two  feet,  by 
the  end  of  August  three  feet.  Somewhere  about  the  latter 
time  each  shoot  will  form  a  bud  at  the  tip  as  a  sign  that 
it  has  finished  extending  for  the  season.  The  tree  is  now 
no  longer  a  cordon,  but  if  the  side  branches  are  pruned 
back  to  stumps  just  as  the  nurseryman  had  pruned  them 
the  trees  revert  to  the  cordon  condition. 

The  theorist  is  not  satisfied  that  this  winter  pruning 
does  the  utmost  that  is  possible  to  help  the  tree,  and  he 
advocates  summer  pruning  because  it  gives  the  tree 
more  assistance  in  forming  its  fruit  buds.  It  saves  the 
tree  unnecessary  expenditure  on  leaf  and  stem  and  stores 
the  sap  thus  saved  in  the  buds  at  the  base  of  the  side 
shoots,  helping  them  to  perform  the  wonderful  process 
by  which  potential  leaf  is  developed  into  bloom  and  fruit. 


3io  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

This  is  interesting,  is  it  not  ?  This  tree — this  agglo- 
meration of  bark,  pith  and  leaf ;  this  mass  of  cells  with 
their  sap  and  protoplasm — has  the  power  of  developing 
coloured  leaves,  (the  corolla)  stamens,  ova,ry,  style  and 
pistil,  and  of  packing  them  in  a  tight  mass  in  a  bud, 
which  presently  expands  into  a  cluster  of  tiny  fruits.  It 
has  the  power  to  do  this,  and  we,  by  summer  pruning, 
can  help  it. 

We  can  help  it  in  one  of  two  ways  :  (i)  a  twofold 
pinching  with  finger  and  thumb,  the  first  in  early  summer, 
the  second  in  late  summer ;  (2)  by  cutting  once  only  with 
knife  or  secateurs  at  the  end  of  summer. 

The  late  summer  pruning  with  the  knife  is  the  general 
method  of  summer  pruning.  It  consists  in  shortening 
all  the  side  shoots  to  about  six  leaves  each  when  the 
summer  growth  is  finished.  This  removes  at  once  more 
than  half  of  the  young  wood  in  the  tree,  concentrates 
the  sap,  and  admits  abundance  of  sun.  It  is  a  good 
practice.  It  is  simple.  It  can  be  done  without  a  great 
expenditure  of  time.  Go  into  a  good-class  fruit  nursery 
in  September  and  you  may  find  a  litter  of  young  shoots 
round  the  best  trees,  showing  where  the  summer  pruner 
has  been  at  work.  The  successful  nurseryman  has  there- 
fore found  summer  pruning  with  the  knife  late  in  summer 
helpful  to  him. 

There  is,  however,  the  twofold  system  of  pinching  with 
finger  and  thumb,  the  knife  not  being  used.  This  is  the 
more  scientific  of  the  two.  It  is  based  on  the  theory  that 
it  is  better  to  prevent  the  tree  from  making  strong  wood 
at  the  outset  than  to  allow  the  shoots  to  grow  and  then  to 
reduce  them.  The  ends  of  the  shoots  are  nipped  off  while 
they  are  still  young  and  soft.  This  being  done  while  the 
growing  year  is  yet  young — say  about  the  end  of  May — 
it  follows  that  the  tree  still  has  a  great  deal  of  potential 


THE  BEAR-QUICK  APPLE  311 

leaf  and  stem  left  in  it,  which  it  will  try  to  find  an  outlet 
for.  Debarred  from  extension  at  the  tip  it  will  begin  to 
grow  from  the  young  buds  on  the  piece  of  wood  pinched. 
New  shoots  will  show  there,  and  extend  steadily.  In 
about  six  weeks  from  the  first  pinching  they  will  have 
developed  a  full-sized  leaf.  Then  comes  the  second 
pinching,  which  removes  the  tips  of  the  secondary  shoots 
in  precisely  the  same  way  that  it  had  done  the  primary 
ones.  It  is  now  too  late  in  the  growing  year  for  the  tree 
to  break  again. 

The  twofold  pinching  system  is  a  more  detailed  process 
than  the  single  cutting.  It  takes  more  time.  It  requires 
more  learning.  It  is  probably  for  these  reasons  that  it  is 
not  generally  practised.  By  it  fruit  buds  can  be  developed 
as  it  were  artificially.  The  tree  is  forced  to  form  them. 
And  remember,  fruit  buds  are  fruit  buds,  whether  the 
tree  forms  them  by  its  own  somewhat  slow  process  or  in 
a  shorter  time  under  the  stimulus  of  the  grower.  With 
an  annual  twofold  pinching  the  tree  is  made  to  form 
fruit  buds  every  year,  and  with  fruit  buds  there  will  be 
fruit,  unless  frost,  insects  or  fungi  intervene.  As  to  these 
causes  of  failure  more  later. 

The  plant  physiologist  who  has  learned  that  the  foliage 
of  a  plant,  shrub  or  tree  plays  an  important  part  in  its 
well-being,  serving  the  part  of  lungs,  stomach  and  skin, 
may  wonder  whether  the  repression  of  stem  growth 
which  is  entailed  by  summer  pinching  and  pruning 
(particularly  by  the  former)  will  not  have  a  bad  effect  on 
the  general  health  of  the  tree  ;  and  whether,  thus  by 
unnatural  means  robbed  of  part  of  its  foliage  and  at  the 
same  time  forced  to  bear  a  larger  quantity  of  fruit,  it  will 
not  be  crippled. 

The  question  is  a  perfectly  legitimate  one  and  deserves 
careful  consideration.  If  we  set  out  on  a  particular 


312  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

course  we  must  consider  all  its  bearings.  It  is  quite  true 
that  the  leaves  of  a  fruit  tree  play  an  important  part  in 
its  economy.  It  is  quite  correct  to  say  that  if  a  tree  has 
not  an  adequate  amount  of  healthy  foliage  it  cannot 
be  strong  and  fruitful.  Those  who  summer  pinch  and 
summer  prune  must  take  due  cognizance  of  these  facts. 

The  more  systematically  a  fruit  tree  is  pruned  the 
more  clearly  the  grower  must  keep  before  his  eyes  the 
necessity  of  giving  the  tree  a  counteracting  influence. 
In  a  cordon  tree  this  is  found  in  head-extension.  The 
tree,  curbed  as  to  its  side  growth,  only  finds  a  natural 
outlet  for  its  energies  in  extension  of  the  leader.  A  tree 
planted  perpendicularly  against  a  low  support,  and  not 
allowed  to  extend  above  it,  could  not  remain  healthy 
and  fruitful  if  treated  as  a  cordon.  It  would  give  very  little 
fruit,  and  would  fall  into  ill-health.  If  a  person  wishes 
to  cover  a  wall  or  fence  which  is  low  and  cannot  be 
heightened  he  had  better  train  his  fruit  trees  as  espaliers, 
not  as  cordons,  but  he  cannot  then  have  nearly  so  many 
varieties  in  a  given  space. 

It  is  prudent  to  consider  what  is  the  lowest  height  at 
which  a  fruit  tree  trained  as  an  upright  cordon  to  a  single 
stem  can  be  kept.  The  reply  is  seven  feet.  This  does 
not  mean  that  a  support  seven  feet  high  is  necessary, 
because  the  tree  can  be  trained  diagonally,  and  will 
do  just  as  well  as  if  planted  perpendicularly ;  it  means 
that  provision  must  be  made  for  allowing  a  tree  to  grow 
seven  feet  high.  Whether  a  six-feet  support  will  give 
that  length  of  stem  or  not  turns  on  the  angle  at  which 
the  trees  are  planted,  but  the  grower  can  easily  make 
it  do  so.  A  further  extension  of  a  foot  or  so  above  the  top 
of  the  support  will  be  no  disadvantage.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  trees  may  be  expected  to  grow  two  feet  or  more 
above  the  top  in  summer,  and  the  extension  need  not 


THE   BEAR-QUICK  APPLE  313 

be  summer  pruned ;  it  will  suffice  to  shorten  it  back 
to  about  a  foot  in  winter.  If  on  a  high  wall  or  other  sup- 
port a  cordon  tree  can  extend  to  eight,  ten  or  even  twelve 
feet,  so  much  the  better. 

With  reasonable  extension  a  cordon  fruit  tree  will 
remain  healthy,  other  things  being  right,  even  if  it  is 
summer  pinched  twice  every  summer,  but  head-ex- 
tension it  must  have. 

There  are  disadvantages  with  the  cordon  tree,  and 
they  must  be  set  against  the  advantages.  It  costs  more 
to  plant  a  given  length  of  wall  or  fence  with  cordons 
than  with  espaliers,  because  many  more  trees  are  re- 
quired. The  summer  pinching  perhaps  takes  up  more 
time,  although  for  the  matter  of  that  espaliers  and  fans 
of  Apples  and  Pears  ought  to  be  summer  pruned  also. 

I  have  said  that  the  Bear-quick  Apple  is  either  a  cordon 
or  a  bush.  Having  considered  it  as  a  cordon  let  us  con- 
sider it  as  a  bush. 

One  may  have  fruit  on  a  bush  tree  the  second  year 
from  planting  without  the  tree  sustaining  any  harm 
provided  the  quantity  is  limited.  I  certainly  do  not  think 
it  is  prudent  to  let  a  young  tree  carry  a  heavy  load  of 
fruit  in  clusters.  If,  however,  the  clusters  are  thinned 
to  one  fruit,  and  the  total  number  on  a  young  tree  is 
limited  to  a  dozen,  it  will  not  suffer. 

A  newly  planted  two-year-old  bush  tree  should  have 
all  its  branches  pruned  back  hard  soon  after  it  has 
broken  into  growth  in  spring.  That  will  effectually 
prevent  it  from  fruiting  the  first  year.  The  growth  made 
subsequent  to  this  may  be  shortened  to  half  its  length 
the  following  winter.  The  partially  matured  wood  on 
the  lower  part  of  the  tree  may  be  allowed  to  bear  within 
the  limits  suggested  above  in  the  ensuing  summer. 

Thereafter  there  should  be  little  pruning  back  of  the 


3 14  THE  NEW   GARDENING 

bush  tree,  but  summer  pinching  or  pruning  may  come 
into  play,  and  operate  precisely  as  in  the  case  of  the 
cordons,  each  side  branch  receiving  the  same  treatment 
as  the  main  (and  only)  stem  of  the  cordon.  Bushes  may 
thus  be  trained  into  the  fruiting  habit,  and  coerced  into 
fruit-production — or  at  least  blossom-production — every 
year. 

Summer  pinching  is  less  risky  with  bushes  than  with 
cordons,  because  there  are  more  branches  on  the  tree 
and  consequently  a  much  greater  leaf  area.  This  being 
the  case,  extension  of  the  leaders  is  not  vital,  nevertheless, 
all  kinds  of  trees  do  best  if  allowed  reasonable  extension, 
and  as  a  rule  it  is  wise  to  permit  a  certain  amount  of 
latitude  in  that  direction.  The  leading  shoots  should 
not  be  spurred  back  so  hard  as  the  side  growths. 

Summer  pinching  or  pruning  is  incomplete  in  itself. 
It  leaves  pieces  of  side  shoot  several  inches  long,  which 
need  cutting  back  to  within  an  inch  or  so  of  the  main 
stem  or  stems  when  the  tree  has  gone  to  rest.  This  is 
generally  spoken  of  as  winter  pruning,  but  it  may  be 
done  any  time  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf  to  the  sprouting 
of  the  next  crop  of  young  leaves.  As  a  matter  of  con- 
venience it  is  generally  done  in  winter,  but  the  ideal 
time  is  when  the  new  growth  has  begun,  which  in  the 
case  of  Apples  will  probably  be  from  the  middle  to  the 
end  of  April.  At  that  period  the  sap  is  moving  briskly 
in  the  trees,  which  are  in  a  thoroughly  buoyant  and 
lively  state,  with  the  result  that  fresh  growth  follows 
hard  on  the  knife. 

While  the  grower  who  has  a  naturally  deep  and  fertile 
soil  will  be  the  best  placed  in  the  long  run,  he  often  has 
a  good  deal  of  trouble  in  the  early  years  of  his  trees, 
because  the  growth  is  too  strong.  It  is  quite  possible  to 
have  a  tree  so  vigorous  that  it  does  not  bloom.  A  par- 


Top  Figure — A  Pear  Tree  before  Pruning  and  Nailing 
Bottom  Figure— The  same  Tree  after  Treatment 


THE   BEAR-QUICK  APPLE  315 

ticular  condition  of  sap  is  required  before  a  tree  can 
transform  potential  leaf  matter  into  potential  flower- 
matter.  When  a  tree  is  riotously  strong,  making  shoots 
four  or  five  feet  long  in  one  summer,  and  thick  with 
leaves  the  sap  is  not  rich  enough  to  form  flowers.  It  is 
like  a  strong  but  watery  stream,  which  bustles  along 
without  thickening.  It  is  probably  lacking  in  saccharine 
matter. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  good  judgment  in  manuring 
is  called  for.  The  system  of  manuring  ground  for  poor 
and  for  fertile  land  should  differ  considerably.  The  rich- 
soil  fruit-grower  who  applies  a  heavy  dressing  of  yard 
manure  to  land  which  he  is  preparing  for  fruit  trees 
makes  a  rod  for  his  own  back.  He  wastes  money  on 
unnecessary  manure,  and  wastes  more  money  on  recti- 
fying the  early  mistake  later  on,  generally  by  root- 
pruning.  It  is  wise  to  root-prune  a  very  luxuriant  fruit 
tree  that  does  not  produce  blossoms,  but  it  is  not  wise  to 
create  the  necessity  for  root-pruning  by  over-manuring 
at  the  outset. 

A  deep,  fertile,  loamy  soil  in  which  trees  generally, 
Roses  and  garden  vegetables  such  as  Peas  grow  vigorously 
needs  very  little  yard  manure  when  fruit  trees  are 
planted.  An  old  hop  garden  requires  very  little  either. 
A  piece  of  pasture  broken  up  might  have  a  dressing  equal 
to  twenty-five  tons  per  acre,  but  no  more. 

A  very  brief  consideration  will  satisfy  the  fruit-planter 
that  this  is  a  sensible  view  to  take.  It  will  appeal  to  his 
reasoning  faculties  with  overwhelming  force. 

A  person  who  finds  pleasure  in  seeing  a  young  fruit 
tree  producing  its  four-feet  and  five-feet  shoots  every 
summer  is  on  the  same  plane  with  one  who  rejoices  in  a 
precocious  child.  It  is  restriction,  not  stimulation,  that 
is  wanted  in  both  cases. 


316  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

When  fruit  trees  are  being  planted  in  poor  shallow 
soil,  not  only  may  thirty  tons  of  yard  manure  per  acre 
be  applied,  but  every  two  or  three  years  liberal  surface 
dressings  of  rich  yard  manure  may  be  made  with  ad- 
vantage. 

The  question  of  manure  in  planting  fruit  trees  resolves 
itself  therefore  into  a  consideration  of  the  character  and 
quality  of  the  soil. 

The  connoisseur  will  not  be  satisfied  to  start  and  end 
the  feeding  question  with  the  preparation  of  the  ground 
at  planting  time.  He  will  muse  somewhat  in  this  wise  : 
The  trees  are  now  young  and  lusty.  They  have  no  burden 
of  fruit  to  tax  their  strength.  A  few  years  hence  the 
vigour  of  youth  will  have  passed,  and  at  the  same  time 
they  will  have  the  burden  of  bearing  on  them.  At  which 
stage  do  they  require  the  most  feeding  ? 

An  eminently  sensible  question,  to  which  there  is  only 
one  answer.  It  is  when  fruit  trees  have  got  beyond  the 
first  flush  of  growth,  when  they  have  undergone  the  stress 
of  cropping  several  times,  and  when  their  roots  have 
taken  a  good  deal  of  the  nutriment  out  of  the  soil,  that 
they  need  the  most  feeding. 

Scientific  manuring  is  a  natural  corollary  of  scientific 
priming. 

In  using  the  word  scientific,  it  may  be  well  to  explain 
at  once  that  I  do  not  mean  the  use  of  artificial  manures 
alone.  Any  system  is  scientific  that  gives  the  right 
food  at  the  right  times.  It  might  be  scientific  manuring 
to  give  a  top-dressing  of  yard  dung  and  nothing  else. 
I  would,  however,  say  that  the  grower  who  is  bent  upon 
doing  Bear-quicks  well,  will  find  concentrated  feeding 
helpful.  Supposing  a  number  of  young  fruit  trees  to  have 
set  a  heavy  crop  of  fruit  it  would  be  scientific  to  proceed 
as  follows  : 


THE   BEAR-QUICK   APPLE  317 

(1)  Thin  the  clusters  to  not  more  than  two ;    if  the 
fruit  is  for  exhibition  to  one. 

(2)  Spread  on  the  ground  along  or  around  the  trees 
the  following  quantity  per  yard  in  mixture  :   two  ounces 
of  superphosphate,  one  ounce  of  nitrate  of  potash,  half 
an  ounce  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
sulphate  of  iron.  Rake  it  in  while  the  soil  is  moist  in  March. 

(3)  If  the  ground  is  poor  and  shallow  spread  along 
the  row  over  the  roots  a  coat  of  decayed  yard  manure 
two  inches  thick  when  the  fruit  is  half  swollen.     If  the 
yard  manure  is  not  available  endeavour  to  give  the  trees 
a  thorough  soaking  with  liquid  manure  and  then  spread 
on  a  mulching  of  spent  hops.    This  treatment  will  form 
a  valuable  supplement  to  the  chemical  manure. 

The  trees  ought  now  to  be  so  strengthened  that  they 
can  not  only  carry  a  good  crop  of  fruit  to  maturity,  but 
to  form  fruit  buds,  with  the  aid  of  summer  pruning,  for 
the  following  season  ;  but  there  will  be  no  harm — always 
excepting  the  case  of  trees  growing  luxuriantly  in  rich  soil 
— in  giving  occasional  soakings  of  liquid  manure  through- 
out the  summer. 

By  a  properly  correlated  system  of  pruning  and  feeding, 
fruit  trees  could  be  made  to  give  double  the  weight  of 
produce  that  they  generally  yield  now.  There  is,  indeed, 
an  appalling  want  of  knowledge  and  discrimination 
apparent  in  the  condition  of  most  fruit  trees.  We  see  on 
the  one  hand  gross,  overgrown  trees,  and  on  the  other 
stunted  and  cankered  specimens.  The  ideal  tree  is 
moderately  vigorous  and  perfectly  clean.  It  is  well 
furnished  with  fruit  spurs. 

Those  who  have  studied  fruit  trees  closely  have  fully 
satisfied  themselves  that  irregular  bearing,  or  at  least 
irregular  flowering,  can  be  overcome,  and  that  is  a  step 
gained.  There  remains,  however,  the  risk  of  frost.  Some 


3i 8  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

of  our  best  Apples  bloom  early  ;  they  are  fully  expanded 
in  April.  This  leaves  the  May  frost  to  reckon  with.  It 
is  not  a  "  hardy  perennial."  It  does  not  come  every 
year.  Its  visitations  are  intermittent.  But  it  comes, 
and  there  is  nothing  more  exasperating  than  to  have 
the  work  of  a  year  ruined  in  an  hour  by  a  circumstance 
which,  on  the  face  of  it,  is  beyond  the  grower's  control. 

The  frost  danger  is  a  real  thing.  It  is  always  lurking, 
sinister  and  dangerous,  in  the  rear.  Every  spring  the 
same  grisly  spectre  rises  before  the  eyes  of  the  fruit- 
grower, and  he  never  feels  safe  till  June  has  come.  Even 
a  June  frost  is  not  unknown.  Scientific  pruning,  scientific 
feeding,  unremitting  attention  from  first  to  last,  all  may 
be  of  no  avail  if  the  frost-fiend  appears. 

Injury  from  frost  arises  in  the  blackening  of  the  pistil 
and  stamens.  The  corolla  of  the  flower  may  be  un- 
touched. But  the  fructifying  organs  and  not  the  petals 
are  the  important  parts  of  the  flower.  If  they  are 
shrivelled  fruit  cannot  form. 

Science  has  not  been  content  to  sit  helpless  and  inactive 
before  the  frost  danger.  Growers  are  fully  alive  to  it, 
and  full  of  resolution  to  grapple  with  it.  The  grower  of 
Bear-quicks  will  be  in  sympathy  with  them. 

A  grower  of  cordon  Bear-quicks  can  generally  save 
his  crop  if  he  is  at  hand  when,  with  the  trees  in  full  bloom, 
a  late  frost  comes.  He  can  do  it  by  fixing  a  light  screen 
of  canvas  just  above  the  trees  on  that  bright,  clear,  cold 
night  when  experience  teaches  him  that  a  frost  may  be 
expected  before  morning.  This  checks  radiation  and 
prevents  injury.  A  grower  of  field  trees  by  acres  cannot, 
of  course,  get  out  of  danger  in  so  simple  a  way. 

In  speaking  of  the  use  of  thin  canvas  I  might  assume 
that  every  amateur  fruit-grower  always  has  the  right 
thing  by  him  at  the  right  moment.  As  a  matter  of  fact 


THE   BEAR-QUICK   APPLE  319 

he  rarely  has  unless  he  is  warned  beforehand  that  it  may 
be  required.  Thin  canvas  is  not  the  sort  of  substance 
that  might  be  expected  to  be  available  at  an  hour's 
notice.  The  thing  to  do  is  to  order  it  when  the  garden 
seeds  are  purchased  in  winter.  It  is  called  No.  4  tiffany. 
If  kept  in  store  it  will  be  available,  not  only  as  a  pro- 
tection against  frost  on  fruit  trees,  but  as  a  sun-screen 
over  choice  Daffodils  and  Tulips,  which  fade  quickly  or 
have  the  colour  burnt  out  of  them  by  hot  sun.  A  similar 
thing  happens  with  most  of  the  salmon  and  orange- 
coloured  Sweet  Peas  in  summer.  The  same  sheets  of 
tiffany  that,  supported  by  a  framework  over  a  bed  of 
late  Tulips,  screened  them  from  the  sun  in  the  daytime, 
might,  supported  by  another  framework  placed  in 
position  round  the  fruit  trees,  protect  them  from  frost 
in  the  early  morning.  The  Tulips,  canny  flowers,  close 
at  night,  folding  their  pistil  and  stamens  within  the 
thick  petals  ;  the  Apples  are  not  so  wise. 

If  the  fruit  trees  are  growing  on  a  wall  it  will  suffice 
to  hang  the  canvas  in  front  of  them,  or  even  to  make  a 
curtain  of  tanned  fish-netting. 

When  a  large  area  of  fruit  trees  are  established  in  the 
open,  the  question  of  averting  injury  from  frost  is  much 
more  complicated.  The  screen  and  curtain  expedients 
are  no  longer  available.  As  a  substitute,  experiments 
have  been  made  with  a  moving  screen  of  smoke,  and  this 
has  been  found  effectual. 

Early  preparation  is  necessary.  To  get  smoke  there 
must  be  ignition.  To  have  ignition  particular  materials 
are  necessary,  and  they  are  not  available  in  quantity  at 
a  moment's  notice.  To  be  on  the  safe  side,  the  fruit- 
grower must  move  while  his  trees  are  still  dormant. 
When  the  trees  come  into  bloom  he  must  have  his  imple- 
ments and  material  at  hand,  so  that  there  may  not  even 


320  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

be  an  hour's  delay.     They  must  not  be  expensive  or 
cumbrous,  for  if  they  were  his  profits  would  disappear. 

A  cheap  commercial  "  fireplace  "  for  what  is  called 
"  smudge-firing  "  is  procurable  in  the  form  of  the  Colo- 
rado heater.  The  stoves  should  be  set  at  equal  distances 
apart  among  the  trees  to  the  number  of  about  fifty  per 
acre.  When  frost  threatens  they  should  be  filled  with 
cotton  waste,  which,  when  ignited,  throws  up  a  thick 
smoke  or  smudge  that  effectually  checks  radiation. 

There  is  one  direction  in  which  modern  science  runs 
counter  to  practical  experience — at  all  .events  to  ex- 
perience gained  in  some  districts — and  that  is  in  puddling 
and  ramming  the  soil  round  the  roots  when  planting. 
The  scientist's  contention  is  that  the  more  closely  the 
soil  can  be  brought  into  contact  with  the  roots  the  more 
freely  do  these  produce  feeding  fibres.  By  moistening 
the  soil  and  using  the  rammer  the  soil  is  firmly  com- 
pacted round  the  roots.  But  is  fresh  rooting  thereby 
encouraged  ?  And  do  stronger  and  more  fruitful  trees 
follow  ?  An  affirmative  answer  cannot  be  given  in  all 
cases.  It  is  found  that  when  planting  fruit  trees  on  stiff 
heavy  clay  soils  puddling  and  ramming  are  not  ad- 
vantageous, probably  because  they  tend  to  seal  the  soil 
and  check  aeration.  The  trees  do  best,  indeed,  when 
the  soil  is  but  lightly  firmed  around  them.  The  rammer 
and  water-bucket  may  be  brought  into  play  on  light, 
loose  soils. 

Science  has  also  suggested  that  deep  planting  in  narrow 
holes  is  better  than  shallow  planting  in  wide  holes,  be- 
cause the  root  restriction  consequent  on  the  operation 
has  the  effect  of  forcing  the  emission  of  fibres.  Let  us 
suppose  a  case.  The  tree  to  be  planted  has  a  few  strongish 
fang  roots  and  some  fibres,  but  not  a  great  many,  because 
some  have  been  destroyed  in  the  shifting.  We  make  a 


THE   BEAR-QUICK  APPLE  321 

deep  narrow  hole  and  put  the  tree  in.  If  the  fangs  will 
not  lie  flat  we  curve  them.  We  throw  some  wet  soil 
among  the  coiled  roots  and  bring  the  rammer  into  play. 
It  follows  that  the  fangs  are  bruised.  Where  they  are 
torn  fibrous  roots  are  to  be  expected,  and  the  more  of 
these  that  are  produced  the  better  the  trees  are  to  thrive. 

It  is  of  course  true  that  abundance  of  fibrous  roots 
are  good  for  a  fruit  tree.  It  is  equally  true  that  laceration 
of  the  large  fang  roots  may  be  followed  in  some  cases  by 
the  production  of  fibres.  But  there  is  a  better  way  of 
getting  feeders  than  by  bruising,  and  it  is  to  cut  every 
broken  root  cleanly  and  press  fertile  soil  round  it.  Bruising 
is  dangerous,  especially  in  damp,  stiff  soil.  Planting  in 
deep,  narrow  holes  is  not  safe  in  such  land,  because 
every  hole  may  become  a  water-trap  in  a  wet  winter, 
unless  the  ground  is  drained.  A  healthy  fruit  tree  with 
cleanly  trimmed  roots  that  is  planted  in  fertile  soil  in  the 
fall  may  be  expected  to  establish  itself  quickly,  produce 
abundance  of  fibres,  grow  well  and  bear  good  crops. 
No  violence  is  called  for.  The  result  aimed  at  may  be 
gained  by  temperate  methods.  Still,  we  get  back  to  the 
soil-equation.  What  is  bad  in  one  district  may  be  good 
in  another.  In  a  light,  friable  soil  that  has  natural 
drainage  deeper  and  firmer  planting  is  desirable  than  in 
heavy,  stiff  ground  where  the  site  does  not  facilitate  the 
outflow  of  water.  Root-curbing,  puddling,  deep  planting, 
and  ramming  are  justified  if  they  give  greater  stability 
and  more  abundant  roots  to  trees  in  loose  soils. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   NEW   SCIENCE   OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING 

THE  modern  washing  and  spraying  of   fruit  trees  has 
revolutionized  fruit  culture. 

It  is  not  a  sufficient  answer  to  this  to  point  out  that 
insects  and  fungoid  enemies  of  fruit  trees  appear  to 
multiply  in  greater  ratio  than  preventive  and  exter- 
minative  methods.  It  is  true  that  we  have  no  such 
multifarious  records  of  enemies  in  the  past  as  assail  our 
trees  to-day.  It  may  be  quite  correct  that  there  never 
was  a  time  when  the  fruit-grower  was  so  harassed  as  he 
is  at  the  present,  with  science  in  full  activity  on  his 
behalf.  Would  any  informed  person  deny  the  advance 
in  medicine  and  surgery  because  human  diseases  seem 
to  be  more  numerous  than  they  were  ? 

Humanity  lives  faster  and  tends  to  become  more 
highly  sensitized  every  year.  It  is  the  same  with  plants. 
They  are  more  intensively  cultivated,  more  highly  bred, 
more  closely  propagated,  more  heavily  cropped  than 
they  used  to  be.  A  fruit-grower  is  not  satisfied  with 
getting  a  yield  every  two  or  three  years  ;  he  wants  a 
crop  every  season.  With  the  extension  of  fruit-planting 
trees  are  put  on  to  soil  and  sites  that  are  not  naturally 
suited  to  them.  Stocks  are  used  for  supporting  the 
plant  instead  of  its  own  roots.  These  and  other  things 
create  an  artificial  condition,  and  it  would  not  be  sur- 
prising if  the  result  was  an  outburst  of  diseases,  But  it 

322 


SCIENCE   OF  FRUIT-SPRAYING       323 

is  not  certain  that  every  insect  or  fungus  which  is  brought 
before  the  notice  of  growers  by  scientific  investigators 
for  the  first  time  is  new.  It  should  be  remembered  that 
scientific  research  in  connection  with  fruit  is  of  modern 
growth,  and  numerous  enemies  may  have  been  at  work 
unnoticed  by  cultivators  for  many  years. 

Research  in  the  chemical  laboratory  is  of  vast  im- 
portance to  practical  fruit-growers,  and  the  latter  should 
not  become  impatient  if  it  moves  slowly  and  by  ap- 
parently halting  steps.  There  is  a  great  deal  to  be  done 
among  fruit  that  the  practical  grower,  with  all  his  ex- 
perience, cannot  do,  and  the  chemist,  the  botanist  and 
the  mycologist  must  come  to  his  aid.  There  must  be 
years  of  peering  through  microscopes,  of  dissecting 
tissues,  of  experimenting  with  chemicals,  of  test-washing 
trees  and  other  work  which  the  practical  grower  is 
totally  unfitted  to  perform.  It  is,  however,  equally  as 
important  as  preparing  soil,  carting  manure,  planting, 
pruning,  grafting  and  other  rule-of- thumb  operations. 
And  if  experiment  seems  to  be  costly,  at  least  let  it  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  human  element  behind  it  is 
rarely  remunerated  lavishly.  As  a  rule,  indeed,  he  is 
worked  very  hard  and  paid  very  badly.  He  gives  him- 
self up  to  exacting  inquiry  because  he  is  animated  by 
the  love  of  revealing  new  facts  and  making  discoveries 
which  are  useful  to  mankind.  He  is  not  of  the  class  of 
the  great  industrial  inventors,  on  whose  heels  tread 
great  capitalistic  interests,  and  who  not  infrequently 
reap  a  tangible  reward  for  their  discoveries  in  the  form 
of  valuable  shares  in  great  producing  companies. 

While  research  is  in  the  early  experimental  stage  it  is 
inevitable  that  it  should  move  slowly,  and  find  some 
difficulty  in  making  final  suggestions  to  the  expectant 
grower.  He  has  been  asking  for  a  good  deal,  considering 


324  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

the  different  natures  of  the  enemies  of  his  trees  and 
their  diverse  methods  of  attack.  His  demand  has  been 
for  one  relatively  inexpensive  spray  which  shall  destroy 
insect  and  fungoid  enemies  alike,  of  whatever  structure, 
of  whatever  season,  and  in  whatever  way  they  prove 
inimical  to  his  trees. 

The  scientist  has  met  this  comprehensive  require- 
ment without  dismay,  and  after  many  experiments  and 
failures  has  come  within  hail  of  success.  The  entomolo- 
gist and  the  mycologist  have  taken  counsel  together, 
and  brought  their  united  efforts  to  bear  on  the  problem. 

The  principal  difficulty  which  they  have  had  to  over- 
come is  that  certain  enemies  operate  when  the  tree  is 
leafless,  and  others  when  it  is  in  full  growth.  Some 
attack  the  stem,  some  the  foliage  and  others  the  flowers. 
The  tree,  however,  is  in  a  very  different  condition  in 
summer  and  in  winter.  When  bare  it  may  be  treated 
with  a  much  stronger  spray  than  when  full  of  leaf  and 
fruit.  The  wash  that  would  do  no  harm  to  bare  bark 
and  tightly  closed  bud  would  scorch  the  green  leaf. 

The  lime  and  sulphur  spray  described  in  Bulletin  No. 
289  of  Cornell  University,  supplemented  with  arsenate 
of  lead,  seems,  judging  by  extensive  experiments  both 
in  America  and  Great  Britain,  to  be  the  "  combination 
wash  "  of  which  the  fruit-grower  has  been  in  search, 
destroying  eggs,  fungi,  scale  and  caterpillars. 

To  make  this  wash  the  grower  should  proceed  as 
follows  : 

(1)  Boil  70  Ib.  of  lime  and  35  Ib.  of  sulphur  in  20 
gallons  of  water.    The  lime  should  be  fresh  white  stone 
lime. 

(2)  Make  up  to   100  gallons  by  adding  more  water 
and  boil  well  for  i  J  hours.    (This  boiling  is  a  troublesome 
process,  and  if  a  steam  pipe  could  be  put  in  the  hogshead 


Photograph  :   Weeks  d-  Son,  Maidstone 
SPRAYING     FRUIT    TREES 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       325 

for  three-quarters  of  an  hour  it  would  serve  the  same 
purpose  with  less  labour  and  expense. 

(3)  Apply  at  the  end  of  February  by  means  of  a  force- 
pump  giving  a  pressure  of  70  Ib. 

(4)  If  it  does  not  adhere  readily  add  enough  lime  to 
the  solution  to  make  it  coat  the  tree. 

The  wash  thus  used  while  the  trees  are  dormant  in 
late  winter  will  seal  up  the  eggs  of  various  injurious 
insects  and  destroy  the  spores  of  fungi.  It  might  not, 
however,  prevent  caterpillars  appearing  in  spring,  nor 
entirely  obviate  spot  on  the  fruit.  For  this  reason  it  is 
advisable  to  use  a  modified  lime-sulphur  solution  in 
combination  with  arsenate  of  lead  at  later  stages.  This 
mixture  is  prepared  and  used  as  follows  : 

(1)  Boil  112  Ib.  of  lime  and  50  Ib.  of  sulphur  (or  pro- 
portionate quantities  throughout)   for  ij  hours  in  100 
gallons  of  water.     Keep  adding  to  maintain  the  pro- 
portion of  water. 

(2)  When  the  solution  is  made   use  2,\  gallons  and 
4  Ib.  of  arsenate  of  lead  to  100  gallons  of  water. 

(3)  The    mixture    may    be    used    at    the    following 
stages  : 

(a)  When  the  colour  shows  in  the  buds. 

(b)  When  the  bloom  falls. 

(c)  Two  weeks  after  the  fall  of  the  flower. 

(d)  Nine  weeks  later. 

Trees  on  large  areas  in  Cambridgeshire  washed  with 
these  solutions  have  been  perfectly  free  from  both  insect 
and  fungoid  attacks.  The  bark  has  been  bright  and 
clean,  the  foliage  ample  and  healthy,  the  fruit  abundant 
and  spotless. 

Most  of  the  leading  varieties  of  Apples  submit  to  the 
treatment  with  equanimity,  but  Cox's  Orange  Pippin 
is  apt  to  suffer  from  it. 


326  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Many  large  growers  in  Kent  and  Worcestershire  have 
used  a  lime  and  salt  spray  with  great  benefit,  for  it  has 
sealed  up  and  prevented  the  hatching  of  insects'  eggs, 
kept  birds  from  the  buds,  destroyed  scale  and  Apple 
sucker,  and  cleansed  trees  of  moss  and  lichen. 

The  lime  and  salt  wash  is  prepared  as  follows  : 

For  100  gallons  of  water  take  4  bushels  of  lime  (220 
to  240  Ib.)  and  30  Ib.  of  salt.  The  lime  should  be  the 
best  white  lime  brought  straight  from  the  kiln.  It 
should  be  slaked  first  of  all  with  a  little  water,  then 
more  water  added  and  the  solution  strained.  After  that 
the  salt  should  be  added. 

About  300  gallons  may  be  required  per  acre,  but  the 
total  quantity  must  of  course  depend  upon  the  size  and 
number  of  the  trees.  Well-developed  half-standard 
trees  will  probably  take  about  i  gallon  per  tree. 

The  solution  is  put  on  with  a  powerful  force-pump 
and  nozzle  from  mid-March  to  early  April,  or  just  before 
the  trees  start  into  growth.  The  operators  must  don  old 
attire  and  should  protect  their  eyes  and  skin,  for  the 
caustic  spray  will  coat  them  as  well  as  the  trees  from 
head  to  foot.  It  will  cover  every  bud,  every  twig,  with 
an  adhesive  white  scale,  which  will  long  resist  the  pelting 
of  rain,  and  its  effects  will  probably  be  apparent  for  at 
least  three  years  after  application. 

Those  growers  who  wish  to  spray  for  one  particular 
enemy  may  often  gain  their  end  by  more  simple  and 
cleanly  means.  Thus,  if  it  is  merely  a  question  of 
cleansing  a  foul  tree  of  moss  or  lichen  it  can  be  done  by 
syringing  the  tree  while  it  is  quite  dormant  in  winter 
with  the  following  solution  : 

ii  Ib.  caustic  soda. 
20  gallons  of  water. 

In  preparing  this,  place  the  soda  in  a  wooden  vessel, 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING      327 

and  pour  the  water  gently  down  the  sides,  then  stir  and 
use.  The  face  should  be  protected  and  the  hands  well 
gloved,  as  the  mixture  has  a  corrosive  action  and  would 
burn  exposed  skin. 

If  the  trouble  is  caused  by  spring  caterpillars,  such  as 
those  of  the  winter,  codlin,  small  ermine  and  lackey 
moths,  the  American  remedy  of  Swift's  arsenate  of  lead 
paste,  2  Ib.  to  50  gallons  of  water,  may  be  resorted  to. 
This  is  mixed  and  used  soon  after  the  trees  start  growth 
in  spring,  for  it  is  then  that  the  caterpillars  begin  to 
feed. 

Although  the  mixture  is  safe  enough  nominally  it 
ought  to  be  said  that  cases  of  injury  have  been  known, 
whether  from  exceeding  the  quantity  of  lead  specified, 
from  imperfect  mixing,  from  use  on  a  susceptible  variety 
like  Cox's  Orange  Pippin,  or  from  some  obscure  influence 
of  climate  on  the  trees. 

Those  who  are  growing  on  a  small  scale  and  have  not 
the  necessary  appliances  for  preparing  and  using  lime- 
and-sulphur  and  lime-and-salt  sprays  might  resort  to 
the  following  simple  combination  spray,  which  is  com- 
posed of  two  proprietary  preparations  sold  ready  for 
mixing  with  water  : 

\  Ib.  Swift's  arsenate  paste. 

3  Ib.  Woburn  Bordeaux  paste. 

20  gallons  of  water. 

This  spray  could  be  applied  in  spring  when  cater- 
pillars were  beginning  to  feed.  It  would  operate  not 
only  against  them,  but  against  fungi. 

In  dealing  specifically  with  an  attack  of  black  scab  on 
Apples  the  following  remedy  may  be  brought  into 
play: 

i  Ib.  blue  stone  (sulphate  of  copper). 

25  gallons  of  water. 


328  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Spray  the  tree  on  three  separate  occasions  : 

(1)  When  the  leaves  are  unfolding. 

(2)  When  the  petals  fall. 

(3)  A  fortnight  after  the  fall  of  the  flowers. 

But  if  the  trees  are  sprayed  with  a  combined  wash  as 
advised  towards  the  end  of  winter  it  will  not  be  found 
necessary,  as  a  rule,  to  bring  special  remedies  into  play 
for  particular  enemies. 

There  is,  however,  one  great  fungoid  enemy  of  fruit 
trees  to  which  individual  attention  will  have  to  be  given, 
and  that  is  canker.  Nor  h'me-sulphur,  nor  lime-salt,  nor 
arsenate-Bordeaux,  nor  any  other  combination  or 
specific  spray  will  prevent  this  disease  from  attacking 
fruit  trees  if  the  conditions  of  growth  are  unfavourable. 
Unfortunately  the  conditions  which  are  favourable  to 
one  variety  may  be  unfavourable  to  another,  and  the 
question  of  canker  becomes  a  perplexing  one. 

If  a  fruit-grower  has  to  complain  of  a  general  attack 
of  canker  on  his  trees,  affecting  the  majority  of  his 
varieties,  he  may  suspect  poverty  of  soil  or  cold,  damp 
earth  round  the  roots.  Want  of  fertility  and  water- 
logged soil  render  canker  chronic.  Clearly  no  amount 
of  spraying  can  remedy  these  evils.  They  have  to  be 
combated  in  a  different  way. 

Fruit-growers  are  fully  alive  to  the  dangers  of  a  low, 
damp  site  and  rarely  choose  it  for  fruit.  They  prefer  to 
plant  on  a  gentle  slope,  from  which  the  under-water  will 
gradually  drain  away.  When  planting  perforce  on  a  low 
site  they  drain  the  ground  with  pipes.  The  cost  of  this 
operation  is  not  inconsiderable,  but  it  is  less  than  the  loss 
entailed  by  the  wholesale  failure  of  trees  through  canker. 

But  canker  may  cause  great  destruction  among  trees 
on  a  well-drained  site,  especially  if  the  soil  is  shallow 
and  dry. 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       329 

Mai-nutrition  is  really  the  direct  cause  of  the  trouble 
in  both  cases.  In  the  case  of  damp,  cold  soil  it  arises 
from  insufficient  rooting ;  there  may  be  a  good  deal  of 
food  in  the  soil,  but  there  are  not  enough  roots  to  take 
it  up.  In  the  case  of  the  shallow  soil  there  are  probably 
abundance  of  fibres,  certainly  fruit  trees  often  do  form 
thick  mats  of  root  in  a  few  inches  of  poor  ground  over 
chalk,  gravel  or  rock ;  but  there  is  not  enough  nutri- 
ment present  for  them. 

By  draining  wet  land  the  soil  is  dried  and  warmed  to 
the  degree  of  encouraging  root  action,  when  the  latent 
stores  of  food  are  eagerly  taken  up  and  the  tree  improves 
in  health.  But  the  remedy  in  the  shallow  ground  is  to 
rake  in  a  dressing  of  artificial  manure,  and  also  if  possible 
to  spread  on  a  coat  of  rich  yard  manure,  supplemented 
by  soakings  of  liquid  manure  as  opportunity  arises.  The 
mixture  of  fertilizers  recommended  in  the  preceding 
chapter  will  be  found  suitable  for  the  purpose  in 
view. 

Sporadic  attacks  of  canker  need  not  cause  the  fruit- 
grower serious  anxiety ;  a  persistent  attack  need  not 
upset  his  equanimity  if  it  is  concentrated  on  one  or  two 
particular  varieties  ;  but  a  general  attack  on  most  of 
the  kinds  should  engage  his  most  earnest  attention. 

Most  fruit-growers  find  that  there  are  certain  varieties 
which  canker  badly  even  where  the  majority  of  the  sorts 
are  healthy.  The  varieties  are  not  the  same  in  all  cases. 
Local  conditions  of  soil  or  climate  exercise  an  influence 
which  is  often  obscure.  Such  sorts  should  not  be  multi- 
plied. There  are  plenty  of  high-class  Apples  available 
that  do  not  canker  badly  except  under  direct  provoca- 
tion, and  preference  should  be  given  to  them. 

As  the  canker  question  is  a  very  important  one  to 
many  fruit-growers  I  will  give  two  tables,  showing 


330  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

respectively  varieties  of  Apples  that  are  generally  free 
from  canker  and  sorts  which  are  prone  to  it. 

(l)    APPLES  WHICH  ARE  GENERALLY  FREE  FROM  CANKER 

Allington  Pippin.  *James  Grieve. 

Annie  Elizabeth.  Keswick  Codlin. 

Belle  de  Boskoop.  King  of  Tompkins  County. 

Blenheim  Orange.  Lane's  Prince  Albert 

Bramley's  Seedling.          Lord  Derby. 

Bismarck.  *Lord  Grosvenor. 
*Charles  Ross.  Newton  Wonder. 

Domino.  Peasgood's  Nonsuch. 

Early  Victoria.  *Rival. 

Emperor  Alexander.         Roundway  Magnum  Bonum. 
*Golden  Noble.  Royal  Jubilee. 

*Golden  Spire.  *Warner's  King. 

Rambling  Seedling.          Worcester  Pearmain. 

(2)    APPLES  WHICH  ARE  PRONE  TO  CANKER 

Cox's  Orange  Pippin.  Lord  Sumeld. 

Cox's  Pomona.  Ribston  Pippin. 

Ecklinville  Seedling.  Stirling  Castle. 

King  of  the  Pippins.  Wellington. 

The  "  big  bud  "  (Eriophyes  ribis)  of  black  Currants  is 
as  serious  a  trouble  in  its  way  as  canker  among  the  large 
fruits.  Here  is  an  apparent  case  of  an  enemy  develop- 
ing with  advanced  cultivation,  for  it  was  unknown  in 
years  gone  by,  and  even  in  these  days,  when  it  is  spread 
afar,  it  does  not  attack  the  common  black  Currant  with 
weak  drooping  branches  and  small  fruit.  It  assails  most 
of  the  better  varieties,  penetrating  the  buds  and  feeding 

*  These  may  canker  on  cold  soil. 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       331 

within  them  throughout  the  winter,  with  the  result  that 
the  galled  buds  increase  enormously  in  size  without 
bursting  before  the  normal  period,  and  when  the  growing 
season  comes  are  too  weak  to  make  proper  shoots. 

Spraying  seems  powerless  against  this  pest,  so 
thoroughly  does  it  entrench  itself  in  the  very  heart  of 
the  buds,  and  cultivators  must  trust  to  their  own  efforts 
to  keep  it  in  subjection. 

In  the  days  when  black  Currants  were  only  grown  on 
a  small  scale  growers  could  and  did  pick  the  soil  for 
them  much  more  carefully  than  they  have  done  in 
modern  times,  when  fruit  has  been  planted  almost  every- 
where. The  old-time  Currant-grower  chose  a  piece  of 
stiff,  moist  clay  or  substantial  loam,  well  knowing  that 
the  bush  is  unsuited  to  light,  dry  soils ;  and  there  can  be 
little  doubt  that  if  he  had  made  a  practice  of  hand 
picking  and  burning  affected  buds  directly  they  ap- 
peared, pruning  the  old  wood  out  of  the  bushes  regularly, 
and  encouraging  new  by  digging  and  manuring,  the  mite 
would  never  have  developed  into  the  terror  which  it  has 
now  become. 

When  black  Currants  are  grown  on  light,  dry,  shallow 
soil  with  little  manure  they  do  not  make  the  vigorous 
annual  growth  which  is  necessary  to  abundant  fruiting, 
and  it  is  then  difficult  to  keep  the  mite  under.  Serious 
an  enemy  as  it  admittedly  is,  it  is  still  possible  to  grow 
black  Currants  profitably  without  proceeding  beyond 
ordinary  cultural  methods,  such  as  choosing  good  soil, 
pruning  regularly,  manuring  liberally,  and  burning 
swollen  buds  as  fast  as  they  show,  picking  them  off 
singly  in  some  cases  and  cutting  out  complete  shoots  in 
others  as  occasion  requires. 

The  painstaking  grower  who  does  not  believe  in 
leaving  anything  to  chance  may,  and  probably  will, 


332  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

supplement  good  culture  by  dusting  the  bushes  with 
lime  and  sulphur  while  they  are  wet  with  dew  in  spring 
if  any  big  bud  has  shown  on  them  during  the  winter. 
He  will  argue  that  when  the  plants  start  growing,  and 
the  buds  become  shoots,  the  mite  is  exposed,  and  may 
be  attacked  with  good  prospects  of  success.  One  part 
of  lime  to  two  parts  of  sulphur  may  be  used.  The  lime 
should  be  chalk  freshly  burned  and  slaked  with  a  little 
water,  not  air-slaked  lime.  To  be  on  the  safe  side  three 
dustings  may  be  given  through  a  pair  of  small  bellows, 
one  at  the  end  of  March,  a  second  at  mid-April,  a  third 
early  in  May. 

A  successful  Kentish  grower  of  black  Currants  has  his 
own  method  of  attacking  the  pest,  and  it  is  to  smear  the 
bushes  with  boiled  linseed  oil  about  the  end  of  February. 
His  theory  is  that  when  the  mites  come  forth  their  move- 
ments are  impeded  by  the  oil,  and  they  perish. 

Red  Currants  are  not  attacked  by  the  gall-mite,  but 
in  some  districts  they  are  injured  by  a  grub  which  bores 
right  into  the  shoots  and  feeds  there.  This  too  is  difficult 
to  get  rid  of,  and  the  best  remedy  is  to  spray  the  bushes 
in  winter  with  a  caustic  emulsion. 

The  principal  enemy  of  Gooseberries  is  the  American 
mildew,  Sphaerotheca  Morsurviae.  This  is  apparently 
another  case  of  a  modern  pest  developing  with  high 
cultivation.  There  were,  it  is  true,  cases  of  mildew 
attacking  Gooseberries  in  the  old  days,  but  the  fungus 
was  not  the  same  as  the  Sphaerotheca,  and  was  far  less 
baneful.  It  was  confined  to  the  leaves. 

If  the  Gooseberry-grower  observes  brown  or  purplish 
patches  on  the  upper  part  of  his  bushes  he  may  suspect 
the  presence  of  the  mildew,  and  he  is  under  obligation  to 
report  the  attack  to  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  who  will 
send  an  expert  to  investigate  the  case.  He  may  report 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       333 

that  the  grower's  suspicions  are  well  grounded,  and 
recommend  the  immediate  cutting  out  and  burning  of 
the  affected  shoots,  and  indeed  of  all  the  upper  part  of 
the  bushes  attacked,  healthy  and  diseased  alike,  in  order 
to  destroy  spores.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  enough  to 
remove  merely  those  shoots  on  an  infected  bush  which 
are  actually  attacked,  as  later  on  those  left  are  almost 
certain  to  become  affected.  The  investigator  may,  at 
his  discretion,  advise  spraying  the  bushes  with  liver  of 
sulphur  (sulphide  of  potassium),  and  will  probably 
recommend  a  strength  of  I  oz.  to  2j  gallons  of  water. 

The  practice  of  grease-banding  trees  in  autumn  in 
order  to  check  the  ascent  of  moths  is  worthy  of  attention, 
as  it  is  simple  and  inexpensive.  The  moth  Cheimatobia 
brumata,  parent  of  the  voracious  caterpillar  commonly 
called  the  winter  moth  caterpillar,  crawls  up  the  stems 
of  the  trees  in  autumn  and  early  winter  in  order  to  lay 
its  eggs  on  the  shoots,  where  they  will  lie  until  the  tree 
starts  growing  in  spring.  We  have  already  seen  that  a 
spring  spray  containing  arsenate  of  lead  poisons  these 
caterpillars  when  they  begin  to  feed  ;  but  if  they  can  be 
kept  away  from  the  tree  altogether  it  is  well. 

With  the  possible  exception  of  the  American  Tangle- 
foot grease,  all  kinds  are  injurious  to  the  bark  of  trees, 
and  must  be  spread  on  paper.  This  must,  of  course,  be 
grease-proof.  The  paper  should  be  in  strips  about  6§ 
inches  wide,  and  of  a  sufficient  length  to  encircle  the 
trunk  about  4  feet  from  the  ground.  It  should  be  tied 
top  and  bottom  ;  if  only  one  string  was  employed  round 
the  middle  the  moths  might  be  able  to  crawl  underneath 
it.  In  any  case  this  may  happen  if  the  bark  is  so  rough 
that  the  paper  cannot  be  tied  close,  and  the  careful 
grower  will  put  a  3-inch  strip  of  pug  (loam,  clay  and  cow 
manure  in  mixture  of  the  consistency  of  putty)  round 


334  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

the  trunk  at  the  point  where  the  lower  edge  of  the  paper 
is  to  come  as  a  preliminary.  This  will  enable  him  to  get 
the  paper  perfectly  flat  on  the  trunk  and  leave  no 
channels. 

A  special  grease  prepared  for  the  purpose  is  desirable, 
and  it  should  be  plastered  on  with  the  fingers  fairly 
thickly  from  the  top.  Unless  a  good  grease  is  used  it 
will  either  run  down  the  trunk  or  dry  quickly.  It  is  all 
right  as  long  as  it  is  "  tacky/'  If  it  should  become  dry 
and  hard  more  should  be  brushed  on. 

The  band  must  never  be  put  so  low  that  mud  may  be 
splashed  on  to  it  from  bare  soil  below  in  wet  weather, 
otherwise  it  will  fail  to  stop  the  moths,  which  will  crawl 
over  the  dried  patches. 

If  the  trees  are  staked  the  supports  must  be  banded 
as  well  as  the  trunks,  otherwise  the  moths,  baulked  in 
their  ascent  of  the  tree  direct,  will  descend,  crawl  up  the 
stakes,  and  reach  the  trees  by  means  of  the  bands. 

The  bands  should  be  put  in  position  not  later  than  the 
middle  of  October,  and  should  be  removed  in  spring 
before  the  hot  sun  has  time  to  melt  the  grease  and  set 
it  running  down  the  tree. 

A  grower  who  examines  the  bands  in  autumn  may 
often  find  clusters  of  eggs  laid  on  the  string  that  fastens 
them,  showing  that  the  moth  has  made  a  last  effort  to 
perpetuate  her  kind  before  perishing. 

After  removing  the  paper  it  is  a  good  plan  to  brush 
the  trunks  of  the  trees  with  lime- wash  if  the  lime-sulphur 
or  lime-salt  spray  has  not  been  used. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  which  I  have  not  hitherto  seen 
explained,  that  the  moths  are  found  in  the  greatest 
abundance  on  the  north  side  of  the  bands.  They  may 
often  be  found  in  numbers  on  the  north  side  of  the  tree, 
while  the  portion  of  the  band  on  the  south  side  is  almost 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       335 

bare.  The  explanation  has  been  given  that  the  night- 
flying  moths  are  attracted  by  the  light  of  the  moon  in 
the  southern  skies,  and  in  flying  towards  it  strike  the 
northern  side  of  the  tree.  This,  ingenious  though  it 
may  be,  will  not  account  for  any  extra  quantities  of  the 
female  winter  moth  which  may  be  found,  because  it  is 
wingless,  and  crawls  up  the  trunk  of  the  tree  from  the 
ground.  The  moth  probably  chooses  the  driest  side. 

In  some  seasons  moths  are  caught  on  the  bands  in 
enormous  quantities.  I  saw  one  remarkable  case  in 
which  a  band  was  covered  so  thickly  that  the  fresh  moths 
were  able  to  crawl  over  the  bodies  of  earlier  victims. 
The  grower  thereupon  covered  the  band  with  a  second, 
which  also  became  packed,  and  then  with  a  third,  which 
became  as  densely  populated  as  the  under  two.  There 
were  considerably  more  than  a  thousand  moths  on  the 
threefold  band. 

The  new  spraying  science  is  hardly  called  for  in  the 
case  of  injury  to  the  bark  of  trees  through  the  nibbling 
of  rabbits  and  hares,  as  they  can  be  kept  away  by  smear- 
ing the  lower  part  of  the  trunk  with  a  mixture  of  clay, 
lime  and  cow  manure.  To  make  assurance  doubly  sure 
the  grower  may  stir  a  wineglassful  of  spirit  of  tar  into 
every  pailful  of  the  compound  that  he  uses. 

It  commonly  happens  that  hares  and  rabbits  are  only 
thought  of  when  a  good  deal  of  mischief  has  been  done. 
The  trees  may  be  left  untouched  for  years,  and  then  be 
badly  barked  in  a  night  when  snow  lies  on  the  ground. 
There  is  a  way  of  treating  badly  barked  trees  which  the 
owner  of  valued  trees  may  like  to  note,  for  although  trees 
left  to  Nature  do  not  always  die  they  are  liable  to  suffer 
severely.  The  plan  in  question  is  to  trim  the  nibbled 
edges  evenly  and  neatly  round  at  both  top  and  bottom, 
and  then  to  link  them  up  by  putting  on  two  or  three 


336  THE    NEW    GARDENING 

grafts.  The  scions  must  be  cut  of  a  length  to  connect 
the  upper  and  lower  rings  of  bark,  and  pared  down  at 
each  end  to  permit  of  being  slipped  under  the  raised 
edge  of  the  bark.  When  the  union  has  taken  place  the 
grafts  serve  as  pipes  to  convey  sap  up  and  down  the 
tree.  The  scions  should  be  tied  round  to  make  them 
secure,  and  covered  with  a  mixture  of  loam  (3  parts), 
cow  manure  (J  part)  and  horse  manure  ( J  part)  worked 
up  with  water  until  it  is  pasty  enough  to  be  plastered  on ; 
this  excludes  the  air  and  facilitates  a  union.  Or  a  wax 
made  of  the  following  may  be  melted  together  and  painted 
on  over  the  cut  parts  as  a  more  simple  and  cleanly 
plan  of  serving  the  purpose  in  view  : 

8  parts  resin. 

3      „      tallow. 

3      „      red-ochre. 

I      ,,      Burgundy  pitch. 

This  wax  would  be  equally  suitable  for  more  orthodox 
methods  of  grafting,  where  the  object  was  to  transform 
stocks  into  fruit  trees,  or  to  change  the  variety  of  a  tree 
by  cutting  it  back  in  spring  and  grafting  another  on 
to  it. 

Science  has  not  proved  wanting  in  respect  to  a  remedy 
for  that  terrible  disease  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines, 
"  blister,"  the  result  of  the  attack  of  the  fungus  Exoascus 
deformans.  A  preventive  has  been  found  in  Bordeaux 
mixture,  which  for  fruit  trees  is  best  prepared  by  using 
8  Ib.  each  of  bluest  one  (sulphate  of  copper)  and  lime  to 
100  gallons  of  water.  Air-slaked  lime  should  not  be 
used,  or  the  trees  might  be  scorched.  Good  white  stone 
lime  from  freshly  burned  chalk  should  be  got  straight 
from  the  kiln  and  slaked  in  a  little  water.  It  is  so  import- 
ant to  have  the  lime  just  right  that  the  user  should  not 
trust  to  repeated  fresh  "brews,"  but  should  make  a 


SCIENCE  OF   FRUIT-SPRAYING       337 

stock  solution  by  using  a  pound  each  of  lime  and  blue- 
stone  to  one  gallon  of  water,  bottle  it,  and  use  it  with 
the  extra  water  which  is  necessary  as  required.  The 
cost  will  be  a  little  over  two  shillings  per  100  gallons,  as 
the  Bordeaux  can  be  bought  at  255.  to  355.  per  cwt. 
It  should  be  purchased  with  a  guarantee  of  98  per  cent. 
This  may  be  applied  in  a  fine  spray  when  the  trees  are 
in  leaf,  but  it  would  not  cure  an  advanced  attack,  and 
must  be  used  at  the  first  sign  of  injury.  Indeed,  growers 
who  find  from  experience  that  they  may  expect  "  blister  " 
try  to  prevent  it  by  spraying  with  "  winter  Bordeaux," 
that  is,  bluestone  used  without  lime  at  the  rate  of  one 
pound  per  25  gallons  of  water. 

Growers  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines  under  glass  are 
not  likely  to  have  an  attack  of  "  blister  "  on  their  trees 
unless  they  allow  the  ventilators  or  doors  to  remain  open 
when  a  cold  wind  is  blowing  and  can  drive  straight 
on  to  the  trees ;  but  outdoor  cultivators  are  always 
liable  to  suffer,  and  must  be  on  their  guard.  The 
fungus  forms  large  brownish  "  warts  "  on  the  foliage, 
which  speedily  falls.  It  is  the  most  deadly  when  the 
young  leaves  have  been  checked  by  a  cold  wind,  in  fact, 
it  is  capable  of  killing  off  a  whole  wailful  of  trees  in  a 
day  or  two. 

Pears  suffer  from  several  caterpillars  and  fungi  the 
same  as  Apples,  and  may  be  sprayed  in  the  same  way. 
But  they  have  their  own  particular  enemy  in  the  form 
of  the  "  Pear  slug."  This  can  be  killed  by  spraying  with 
one  ounce  of  the  commercial  nicotine  preparation  offered 
for  horticultural  purposes  in  a  gallon  of  water. 

In  few  cases  has  science  found  itself  so  much  perplexed 

as  in  that  of  the  disease  known  as  "  silver-leaf,"  which 

is  particularly  prevalent  on  Plums.     Comparatively,  if 

not  wholly,  unknown  until  quite  recent  years,  it  is  now 

Y 


338  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

spreading  fast  and  causing  great  destruction.  Old  and 
young  trees  are  liable  to  attack.  The  leaves  become 
flabby  and  their  fresh  verdure  gives  place  to  a  grey  glaze. 
In  some  cases  only  a  part  of  the  tree  is  whitened,  other 
portions  remaining  green,  but  in  others  the  tree  is  attacked 
all  over  and  dies.  Many  commercial  fruit-growers  believe 
that  grafted  trees  show  silver-leaf  more  frequently  and 
in  a  more  aggravated  form  than  budded  ones  ;  but 
neither  grafts  nor  buds  should  be  taken  from  infected 
trees  for  propagating  purposes.  Affected  shoots  should 
be  cut  out  and  burned ;  if  a  tree  is  badly  attacked  it 
should  be  cut  down  and  burned,  root  and  branch.  Young 
Plums  should  not  be  planted  on  or  near  sites  where 
diseased  trees  have  been,  but  Apples  may  be  planted. 

It  is  impossible  to  cure  fruit  trees  badly  affected  by 
silver-leaf,  but  a  slightly  diseased  plant  may  be  sprayed 
with  copper  carbonate,  i  oz.  of  which  should  be  dissolved 
in  a  pint  of  liquid  ammonia,  and  a  wineglassful  of  the 
mixture  diluted  in  a  gallon  of  water. 

Inoculation  with  sulphate  of  iron  is  being  tried. 

The  ubiquitous  green-fly  in  its  various  species  probably 
troubles  plant-growers  quite  as  much  as  any  of  the  diseases 
which  are  considered  to  be  modern.    It  is  so  fertile  that 
if  left  undisturbed  it  multiples  in  enormous  numbers, 
but  it  has  little  tenacity  of  life.    An  inexpensive  spray 
for  this  everyday  pest  of  the  garden  is  the  following  : 
3  Ib.  of  washing  soda. 
I      ,,      soft  soap. 
40  gallons  of  water. 

It  facilitates  mixing  if  the  soap  is  first  boiled  in  a  quart 
or  so  of  water.  If  convenient,  the  mixture  may  be  applied 
hot. 

Scales  of  various  kinds  are  not  uncommon  enemies  of 
?  and  Pears,    The  lime-sulphur  and  lime-salt  sprays 


SCIENCE  OF  FRUIT-SPRAYING       339 

operate  against  them,  but  if  a  specific  wash  is  wanted  it 
may  be  found  in  the  following  : 

i  gallon  of  paraffin. 
5  Ibs.  of  soft  soap. 
25  gallons  of  water. 

To  facilitate  mixing  first  boil  the  soft  soap  in  a  gallon 
of  water,  add  the  paraffin  directly  the  soap  is  taken  off 
the  fire,  stir  the  mixture,  pour  it  into  a  tub  with  the  full 
quantity  of  water  and  churn  up  well  with  a  syringe.  The 
scales  fasten  on  the  bark  of  Apple  and  Pear  trees,  and 
the  trunks  must  be  well  wetted. 

Mildew  of  Strawberries  is  best  dealt  with  by  spraying 
the  plants  at  the  first  sign  of  an  attack  with  sulphide  of 
potassium,  i  oz.  to  2j  gallons  of  water. 

Side  by  side  with  the  advance  in  the  use  of  sprays  has 
gone  improvement  in  appliances.  The  engineer  has 
watched  the  experiments  of  the  chemist  with  close 
attention,  and  supplemented  them  with  improved 
sprayers. 

In  large  cultures  horse  sprayers  have  been  developed, 
and  for  smaller  cultures  knapsack  sprayers.  In  both  the 
liquid  is  spread  by  means  of  a  force-pump  through 
nozzles  specially  devised  to  facilitate  cleaning  if  they 
should  become  clogged.  The  liquid  is  blown  out  in  a 
mist-like  state,  and  this  is  essential  to  economical  dis- 
tribution, because  if  it  was  spread  in  a  coarse  spray  most 
of  the  liquid  would  run  off. 

Modern  forms  of  sprayer  are  operated  by  compressed 
air.  The  vessel  is  first  charged  with  the  prescribed 
quantity  of  a  suitable  fungicide  or  insecticide,  and  then 
air  is  pumped  in  beneath  the  liquid.  When  the  proper 
pressure  has  been  obtained  a  tap  is  turned  and  the 
liquid  is  forced  out  in  a  fine  spray  until  the  vessel  is 
completely  emptied,  These  sprayers  dispense  with  the 


340  THE    NEW   GARDENING 

constant  pumping  necessary  with  the  old  type  of  machine, 
but  against  this  must  be  set  the  periodical  labour  of 
forcing  in  the  air.  While  working  on  foot  the  operator 
would  perhaps  prefer  the  pumping  machine,  on  a  ladder 
in  the  trees  he  would  find  the  compressed  air  type  more 
convenient. 

To  get  the  full  advantage  of  the  latter,  two  or  more 
should  be  in  use  simultaneously,  then  one  employe  can 
be  kept  at  the  task  of  charging  and  others  proceed  with 
the  spraying. 


CHAPTER    IV 

MODERN    INQUIRY   INTO  THE   CROSS-FERTILIZATION 
OF  FRUIT,  WITH  PARTICULAR  REFERENCE  TO  BEES 

FRUIT-GROWERS  have  hitherto  had  but  vague  ideas  on 
the  subject  of  what  is  commonly  spoken  of  as  the  fertil- 
ization of  fruit.  Trees  bloom,  but  do  not  always  bear 
crops.  In  the  absence  of  frost  and  of  an  insect  or  fungus 
to  account  for  the  failure  the  question  arises  as  to  whether 
want  of  proper  pollen  is  accountable.  The  effects  of  pollen 
have  to  be  considered :  (i)  on  a  variety  fertilized  with  its 
own  pollen,  (2)  a  sort  crossed  with  the  pollen  of  another 
variety. 

To  make  the  matter  clear  to  a  non-botanical  reader 
it  should  be  stated  that  the  flower  of  a  fruit  tree  has  both 
male  and  female  organs ;  it  can  therefore  be  "  self- 
fertilized/'  or  in  other  words  impregnated  with  its  own 
pollen.  It  may,  however,  be  impregnated  by  pollen 
brought  by  bees,  by  other  insect  agency  or  by  the  wind 
from  another  variety  of  the  same  kind  of  tree. 

If  a  fruit  tree  is  impregnated  with  its  own  pollen  will 
it  crop  freely,  and  will  it  bear  as  well  as  if  impregnated 
with  pollen  from  another  variety  ?  These  are  questions 
which  have  engaged  the  attention  of  scientists  during 
recent  years. 

The  terms  "  self-fertile  "  and  "  self-sterile  "  are  used 
in  connection  with  this  matter.  They  suggest  that  a 
variety  bears  fruit,  or  does  not  bear  fruit,  as  the  case 
may  be,  when  self-pollinated.  But  scientists  sometimes 
use  the  terms  to  distinguish,  not  the  bearing,  but  the 


342  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

seed-production,  of  a  sort,  for  a  tree  may  bear  fruit  with- 
out forming  seeds. 

Very  few  Pears  are  self-fertile  in  the  seed-sense,  and 
growers  will  be  wise  to  keep  bees  in  or  near  the  orchard 
or  garden  for  the  sake  of  ensuring  cross-pollination.  It 
is  not  suggested  that  all  Pears  will  not  bear  fruit  in  the 
absence  of  bees,  or  where  there  are  no  other  varieties 
the  pollen  of  which  may  get  access  to  each  other,  but 
the  majority  will  not,  and  if  they  do  the  fruit  is  seedless. 

It  is  important  to  make  the  position  clear.  Apples, 
Pears  and  Plums  are  often  spoken  of  as  "  self -sterile." 
This  does  not  mean  that  they  cannot  in  any  case  be 
fertilized  with  their  own  pollen,  and  bear  fruit,  but  only 
that  they  are  barren  in  the  sense  of  not  forming  seeds. 
This  shows  that  self-sterility  is  a  matter  which  concerns 
the  raiser  of  new  varieties  more  closely  than  the  fruit- 
grower. 

Whether  the  flowers  of  a  Pear  are  fertilized  with  their 
own  pollen  or  with  that  from  another  tree  of  the  same 
variety,  they  are  barren  in  the  seed-sense  though  not 
always  in  the  fruit-sense.  When,  however,  they  are 
crossed  with  the  pollen  from  another  variety,  whether 
by  bee  or  other  agency,  they  are  fertile  in  both  the  seed 
and  the  fruit  sense. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Pears  which  are  barren  in 
the  seed-sense,  generally  differ  in  shape  from  the  seed- 
fertile  fruits. 

While  it  is  established  that  some  Pears  may  be  fertilized 
with  their  own  pollen  only  and  yet  be  fruitful,  so  that 
the  absence  of  bees  is  not  vital  to  the  fruit-grower,  never- 
theless there  is  evidence  that  cross-fertilization  is  bene- 
ficial to  all  varieties  from  the  fruiting  point  of  view 
alone.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Pear-grower  is 
advised  to  keep  bees. 


CROSS-FERTILIZATION   OF   FRUIT     343 

While  on  the  subject  of  bees  and  fruit  it  may  be  in- 
teresting to  add  that  what  applies  to  all  or  nearly  all 
Pears  applies  also  to  Apples.  They  are  all  self -sterile  in  the 
seed-sense,  but  not  necessarily  in  the  fruit-sense.  It  has 
been  stated,  however,  that  some  varieties  both  of  Apples 
and  Pears,  and  notably  the  important  Apple  Cox's 
Orange  Pippin,  is  self-sterile  in  both  senses,  and  must 
have  the  pollen  of  another  variety  in  order  to  bear  a 
crop.  In  such  a  case  as  this  bees  are  of  particular  value, 
inasmuch  as  they  facilitate  the  transference  of  pollen 
from  one  variety  to  another ;  indeed,  it  might  almost 
be  said  that  they  are  vital  if  no  other  variety  of  Apple  is 
grown  near,  as  without  the  bees  transference  of  pollen 
might  not  take  place.  In  this  connection  it  is  pertinent 
to  state  that  the  pollen  of  Crabs  is  excellent,  and  may 
be  more  potent  than  that  of  cultivated  varieties  of  Apple. 
The  common  Crab  is  good,  but  so  is  the  Siberian,  and  the 
latter  is  the  more  ornamental  of  the  two.  More  beautiful 
still  are  the  Dartmouth  and  John  Downie  Crabs,  which 
are  mentioned  in  another  part  of  this  work  as  worthy 
of  being  planted  as  ornamental  trees  ;  they,  too,  are 
good  for  yielding  pollen,  and  may  be  planted  near  Apples, 
particularly  Cox's  Orange  Pippin,  which,  as  stated  above, 
requires  extraneous  pollen.  Growers  should  plant  a  few 
Crabs  among  their  fruit  trees. 

With  respect  to  the  pollination  of  Plums,  American, 
European  and  Japanese  alike,  it  is  found  that  the  varieties 
differ  greatly  in  the  matter  of  self-fertility,  speaking  now 
in  the  fruit-sense,  as  in  the  case  of  Cox's  Orange  Pippin 
Apple.  Some  will  not  bear  when  fertilized  with  their 
own  pollen,  others  will  do  so  freely.  These  facts  have 
been  proved  by  experiments.  Transparent  paper  bags 
were  fixed  over  selected  branchlets  bearing  fruit-buds 
before  the  latter  opened,  so  that  foreign  pollen  could  not 


344  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

get  in.  When  the  buds  opened  the  bags  were  temporarily 
removed,  and  the  flowers  immediately  crossed  with  their 
own  pollen  by  the  use  of  a  brush.  The  bags  were  replaced 
at  once  and  kept  on  until  the  fruit  (where  it  formed)  had 
begun  to  swell,  so  that  there  might  be  no  suspicion  of 
foreign  pollen  intervening. 

With  this  treatment  the  varieties  Victoria,  The  Czar, 
Pershore,  White  Magnum  Bonum,  Prince  Englebert, 
Denniston's  Superb,  Early  Transparent  Gage,  Purple 
Gage  and  a  Damson  set  a  good  crop,  and  are  therefore 
self -fertile  in  the  fruit-sense. 

On  the  other  hand,  Hist  on  Green  Gage,  Early  Orleans, 
Late  Orange,  Sultan,  Kirke's,  Coe's  Golden  Drop,  Reine 
Claude  d'Althann,  Green  Gage,  Blue  Imperatrice,  Late 
Transparent  and  Washington  did  not  yield  fruit,  showing 
that  they  are  self-sterile  in  the  fruit-sense,  and  need 
foreign  pollen  to  be  fruitful. 

The  important  variety  Rivers's  Early  Prolific  has 
been  found  fruitful  up  to  a  point  when  kept  to  its  own 
pollen,  but  to  be  more  productive  when  crossed  with 
extraneous  pollen. 

In  some  cases  of  self-sterile  varieties  the  flowers  en- 
closed in  the  bags  do  not  set  fruits  at  all,  in  others  fruit 
forms,  swells  up  to  the  size  of  a  Pea  and  then  falls  ;  in 
both  cases  the  result  is  the  same — failure  to  crop. 

The  deduction  that  the  practical  man  will  draw  from 
the  foregoing  is  that  since  cross-pollination  is  vital  in 
some  cases  it  is  probably  good  in  all,  and  he  will  provide 
for  facilitating  it  by  keeping  bees  if  his  neighbours  do 
not  obligingly  do  so. 

He  will  not  grow  very  large  blocks  of  one  variety  with- 
out intermixing  a  few  trees  of  other  sorts  for  supplying 
fresh  pollen. 


CHAPTER   V 

MODERN   PEARS   AND   PEAR-GROWING 

THE  Pear  is  equally  suitable  with  the  Apple  for  culture 
as  a  cordon,  and  under  a  proper  system  of  propagation 
and  general  management  the  old  fear  of  slow  bearing 
may  be  dismissed. 

The  Pear  is,  however,  a  more  complex  fruit  than  the 
Apple,  and  it  does  not  yield  to  modern  "  hustling " 
methods  of  expediting  cropping  without  exacting  certain 
conditions.  For  example,  one  of  the  first  essentials  to 
quick  fruiting  is  healthy  establishment  on  the  Quince 
stock,  which  is  the  same  precocious  foster-mother  to  the 
Pear  that  the  Paradise  stock  is  to  the  Apple.  But  while 
the  great  majority  of  Apples  unite  readily  with  the 
Paradise  stock  it  cannot  be  said  that  most  of  the  best 
Pears  take  kindly  to  the  Quince,  and  many  have  to  be 
grafted  on  to  a  sister  Pear  which  will  itself  grow  readily 
on  the  Quince. 

This  curious  fact  creates  an  immediate  complication. 
It  means  that  the  grower  who  is  also  a  propagator  must 
acquaint  himself  (i)  with  the  names  of  varieties  which 
will  make  good  foster-mothers,  in  the  first  place  because 
they  will  unite  readily  with  the  Quince,  and  in  the  second 
because  the  majority  of  other  Pears  will  take  kindly  to 
them  ;  (2)  with  those  Pears  which  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  "  wet-nurse "  in  order  to  ensure  successful 
results. 

345 


346  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

It  is  not  desirable  to  grow  a  larger  number  of  foster- 
Pears  than  are  absolutely  necessary,  because  it  com- 
plicates the  culture,  and  it  will  be  found  possible  to  get 
satisfactory  results  with  the  following  four  : 

Bergamotte  Esperen.  Conference. 

Beurre*  d'Amanlis.  Oliver  de  Serres. 

They  are  not  merely  good  as  stocks  ;  they  are  also 
good  as  Pears.  A  propagator  of  Pears  may  confidently 
work  a  considerable  number  of  them  on  to  Quince  stocks, 
because  if  they  are  not  wanted  as  foster-mothers  for 
other  varieties  they  will  prove  their  intrinsic  value  as 
fruit-bearers. 

The  foster-mothers  may  be  established  by  budding 
them  on  to  three-year-old  Quince  stocks  in  summer,  and 
the  more  delicate  varieties  may  be  budded  in  their  turn 
as  soon  as  the  nurse  trees  are  fairly  strong,  probably  in 
the  second  summer.  In  both  cases  the  buds  are  inserted 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  stem. 

With  respect  to  important  varieties,  which  it  is 
essential  to  double  work  if  healthy  and  well-cropped 
trees  are  to  be  raised  in  a  reasonable  time,  the  following 
may  be  named  : 

Beurre  Bosc.  Marie  Louise. 

Beurre*  Ranee.  Passe  Crasanne. 

Clapp's  Favourite.  Thompson's. 

Easter  Beurre.  Souvenir  du  Congres. 

Knight's  Monarch.  Triomphe  de  Vienne. 
Marie  Benoist. 

Amateur  growers  of  Pears  need  not  consider  the 
matter  of  double-working  Pears,  because  they  rarely, 
if  ever,  find  themselves  in  the  position  of  propagators, 
but  are  in  the  habit  of  buying  trees  ready  for  fruiting. 


PEARS  AND   PEAR-GROWING         347 

Nor  need  they,  in  buying,  tell  the  nurseryman  that  they 
want  double-worked  trees,  because  if  he  is  a  man  of 
standing  in  his  trade  he  knows  all  about  it,  and  will  send 
such  trees  whether  asked  to  do  so  or  not.  The  subject 
is  mentioned  in  order  to  show  that  the  Pear  is  a  some- 
what exacting  fruit,  and  that  good  trees  cannot  be  pro- 
duced at  a  very  low  cost. 

The  following  new  and  old  varieties  of  Pears  are  in 
approximate  order  of  ripening.  Those  of  particularly 
good  flavour  are  marked  (F)  : 

Citron  des  Carmes  and  Doyenne  d'ete. — Small,  very 
early  Pears,  of  no  importance  in  other  respects. 

Jargonelle. — One  of  the  best  of  the  earlies,  because  it 
is  a  good  cropper  and  of  nice  flavour. 

Williams' 's  Bon  Chretien  or  Bartlett  (F). — A  popular 
market  and  garden  variety,  generally  known  briefly  as 
"  the  William." 

Dr.  Jules  Guyot. — Very  productive,  and  of  nice  flavour, 
a  popular  market  Pear. 

Clapp's  Favourite. — A  large  solid  Pear  of  fair  flavour. 
A  very  free  bearer. 

Fondant e  de  Thirriott. — Good  in  flavour  and  productive. 

Beurre  Hardy  (F) . — One  of  the  best  of  the  early  autumn 
Pears,  alike  as  a  cropper  and  a  table  fruit. 

Emile  d'Heyst. — Productive  and  of  nice  flavour. 

Conference. — One  of  the  most  productive  varieties 
grown,  and  of  good  flavour. 

Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey. — A  medium-sized  bright  red 
variety,  which  bears  well  and  is  of  excellent  flavour. 

Fondante  d'Automne  (F). — A  small  Pear,  very  pro- 
ductive, does  well  as  a  standard. 

Magnate. — A  large  handsome  variety  of  good  flavour. 

Marguerite  Marillat  (F). — One  of  the  best  in  every 
respect,  a  large,  heavy  fruit  of  fine  flavour. 


348  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Beurre  Bosc. — Very  suitable  for  a  cordon,  a  variety  of 
good  flavour. 

Beurre  Clairgeau. — One  of  the  largest  and  handsomest 
Pears  grown,  very  productive,  flavour  moderate. 

Souvenir  du  Congres. — A  large,  heavy  cropping  variety 
of  good  flavour. 

Marie  Benoist. — Makes  a  good  cordon,  good  flavour. 

Beurre  d'Amanlis. — A  hardy  and  vigorous  sort,  a  free 
bearer  of  good  flavour. 

Thompson's  (F). — A  small  variety  desirable  for  its 
high  flavour. 

Doyenne  du  Cornice  (F) . — One  of  the  very  best ;  large, 
heavy,  of  splendid  flavour  and  a  good  cropper. 

Marie  Louise  (F). — The  best  point  about  this  popular 
variety  is  its  splendid  flavour.  It  is  very  rich  and  melt- 
ing. Best  on  a  wall. 

Passe  Crasanne. — A  useful  variety  of  good  flavour, 
suitable  for  a  cordon. 

Beurre  Super  fin  (F). — One  of  the  choicest  dessert 
Pears.  Makes  a  good  cordon. 

Pitmaston  Duchess. — A  large  heavy  Pear  of  fair  quality  ; 
one  of  the  best  croppers. 

Triomphe  de  Vienne. — A  small  Pear  of  good  flavour. 

Beurre  Alexandre  Lucas  (F).  —  Large,  handsome, 
a  fair  cropper  of  excellent  flavour,  suitable  for  a 
cordon. 

Beurre  Diel. — A  large,  heavy,  handsome  Pear,  but 
somewhat  gritty. 

Roosevelt. — A  large,  early,  egg-shaped  Pear  of  excellent 
flavour,  yellow,  striped  with  red. 

Bergamotte  Esperen. — Hardy,  vigorous,  a  good  cropper 
and  of  nice  flavour. 

Nouvelle  Fulvie. — Large,  productive  and  delicious  in 
flavour.  Splendid  on  a  wall. 


PEARS  AND   PEAR-GROWING        349 

Josephine  de  Malines. — A  small  winter  Pear  of  good 
flavour. 

Winter  Nelis. — One  of  the  best  late  varieties,  pro- 
ductive and  of  good  flavour. 

Glou  Morqeau  (F) . — One  of  the  best  of  the  late  varieties, 
excellent  quality. 

Knight's  Monarch  (F). — A  garden  variety  suitable  for 
a  cordon.  Splendid  quality. 

Easter  Beurre. — A  free-bearing  late  sort  of  good  quality. 

Beurre  Ranee  (F). — One  of  the  latest. 

The  task  of  making  a  choice  among  Pears  for  a  small 
collection  would  be  easier  than  it  is  if  there  were  more 
cases  in  which  melting  flesh  and  delicious  aroma  were 
united  with  vigour  of  growth  and  free  bearing.  Un- 
fortunately, it  happens  that  some  of  the  finest-flavoured 
varieties  are  weak  or  susceptible  to  disease.  Striking  an 
average,  we  might  say  that  the  following  are  a  few  of 
the  best  all-round  varieties  : 

Jargonelle.  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey. 

Williams's  Bon  Chretien.  Marguerite  Marillat. 

Dr.  Jules  Guyot.  Beurre  d'Amanlis. 

Beurre  Hardy.  Doyenne*  du  Cornice. 

Emile  d'Heyst.  Beurre  Superfin. 

Conference.  Glou  Morceau. 

The  varieties  are  in  approximate  ripening  order,  and 
due  account  is  taken  of  the  importance  of  getting  good 
flavour. 

The  Pear  is  a  peculiarly  good  cordon-tree  fruit  because 
it  has  the  natural  habit  of  bearing  on  mature  wood  in 
the  form  of  "  spurs/'  or  short,  sturdy  growths  well 
studded  with  fruit  buds.  When  Pears  are  grown  as 
standards,  pyramids  or  espaliers  on  the  natural  or  Pear 
stock  in  the  old  style  they  are  many  seasons  in  forming 


350  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

these  spurs,  the  early  years  of  growth  being  given  up  to 
making  growth  and  ripening  the  wood.  When,  however, 
the  trees  are  put  on  the  Quince  stock  (with  or  without 
double  working  as  aforesaid),  and  when  they  are  summer 
pinched  or  pruned  in  the  manner  described  in  the  second 
chapter  of  the  present  section,  the  case  is  wholly  different ; 
indeed,  if  four-year-old  cordons  are  bought  fruit  spurs 
will  be  found  ready  formed  on  them  as  a  result  of  the 
treatment  to  which  the  nurseryman  has  subjected  them. 

As  cordon  Pears  require  skilled  management  in  their 
early  stages  I  am  not  disposed  to  advise  amateurs  to 
buy  very  young  trees.  A  three-year-old  is  the  youngest 
that  they  should  get.  Such  a  tree  should  not  be  fruited 
the  first  year  after  planting,  but  if  fruits  set  they  should 
be  picked  off.  The  side  shoots  should  be  summer  pinched 
or  pruned  in  the  manner  advised  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
and  the  tree  is  almost  certain  to  form  buds  for  bearing 
the  following  year. 

An  amateur  who  is  very  desirous  of  showing  how 
completely  modern  pomological  science  has  falsified  the 
old  rhyme  "  Plant  Pears,  plant  for  your  heirs  "  might 
spend  another  shilling  or  so  per  tree  and  get  four- 
year-olds.  If  they  are  bought  from  a  good  nursery  they 
will  be  six  to  nine  feet  high,  and  have  from  six  to  ten 
fruiting  spurs.  As  the  wood  is  mature  there  is  no  reason 
why  these  should  not  be  allowed  to  develop  into  fruit  in 
the  ensuing  season,  but  if  the  Pears  come  very  thickly 
they  should  be  thinned  to  one  per  spur,  and  not  more 
than  six  kept  in  all,  except  in  the  case  of  particularly 
productive  sorts  like  Fertility  and  Conference,  which 
may  be  left  thicker.  With  care  in  avoiding  over-cropping, 
and  with  proper  summer  pruning,  the  trees  will  have  no 
difficulty  in  developing  fine  fruits  and  still  forming 
bloom-buds  for  the  following  year,  Even  in  the^first 


PEARS  AND    PEAR-GROWING        351 

year  the  grower  may  not  suffer  very  severely  for  restraint. 
True,  six  Pears  do  not  sound  very  imposing,  but  they 
may  easily  be  of  such  size  and  quality  as  to  equal  a  dozen 
ordinary  fruits. 

The  same  remarks  apply  to  pyramids.  It  is  a  simple 
task  to  go  to  a  large  fruit  nursery  in  November  and  pick 
out  trees  that  will  bloom  the  following  spring.  But  the 
trees  will  cost  much  more  than  two-year-olds.  They 
will  cost  more,  too,  than  cordons  of  the  same  age.  In 
neither  case  should  the  leading  growths  be  pruned  back 
severely.  The  nurseryman  has  done  good  work  in  bring- 
ing the  tree  forward  into  the  fruiting  state,  and  we  must 
not  spoil  it  by  severe  heading,  otherwise  we  shall  have  to 
build  up  afresh.  With  shortening  of  the  current  season's 
extension  to  the  extent  of  perhaps  one-half,  and  thinning 
of  thick  clusters  of  fruit,  the  trees  ought  to  be  quite  safe. 

Half-standard  trees  are  the  best  for  field  culture,  and 
at  about  eighteen  feet  apart  they  will  have  enough  room. 
They  like  a  loamy  soil  without  turf  over  the  roots. 
Such  hardy,  prolific  varieties  as  Summer  Doyenne, 
Chalk,  Lammas,  Jargonelle,  Beacon,  Hessle,  Dr.  Jules 
Guyot,  Williams's  Bon  Chretien,  Beurre  de  Capiaumont, 
Petite  Marguerite,  Fertility,  Eyewood,  Beurre  d'Amanlis, 
Souvenir  du  Congres,  Beurre  Clairgeau,  Beurre  Bosc 
Doyenne  Boussoch,  Durondeau,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey, 
Pitmaston  Duchess  and  Princess  may  be  grown.  The 
last  nine  need  better  soil  than  the  others.  The  first  nine 
will  flourish  in  most  soils, 


CHAPTER   VI 

THE  NEW   BERRIES 

THE  new  hybrid  berry  fruits  promise  to  take  a  high 
place  in  the  estimation  of  growers,  indeed,  they  now 
excite  more  interest  than  improved  varieties  of  the  old 
species,  with  the  possible  exception  of  Strawberries. 

This  is  largely  due  to  the  great  success  of  the  Logan- 
berry, to  the  real  merits  of  which  fruit-growers  have 
only  fully  awakened  during  the  past  few  years. 

The  Loganberry  is  by  no  means  a  new  fruit.  It  has 
been  offered  at  a  low  cost  by  nurserymen  for  many  years, 
but  it  has  hitherto  excited  only  languid  interest,  because 
fruit-growers  have  failed  to  gauge  its  full  worth.  Judging 
it  by  one  standard  alone,  that  of  flavour,  they  have  found 
it  defective,  and  have  thought  little  more  of  it,  turning 
their  attention  to  the  improved  varieties  of  Raspberry. 

Since  it  has  been  found  that  the  Loganberry  is  a  very 
strong  and  healthy  grower  in  nearly  all  soils,  crops  heavily, 
and  is  excellent  for  bottling  and  canning,  its  culture  has 
increased  a  hundredfold. 

The  greatest  advantage  which  the  Loganberry  has  over 
the  Raspberry  is  that  it  will  establish  itself  in  a  few  weeks 
on  shallow,  dry  soil,  even  in  a  hot  season.  A  number  of 
plants  were  put  into  poor  thin  soil  over  chalk  towards  the 
end  of  the  winter  of  1910-11,  and  in  spite  of  the  very  hot 
and  dry  summer  the  weakest  plant  made  growth  equal  to 
thirty  feet  of  stem,  while  the  strongest  made  an  aggregate 

352 


THE   NEW   BERRIES  353 

of  more  than  fifty  feet.  Given  a  result  such  as  this  with 
everything  unfavourable  what  may  be  expected  in  deep 
rich  soil  with  an  average  quantity  of  moisture  ? 

The  two  kindred  fruits  Raspberry  and  Blackberry  (from 
the  union  of  which  the  Loganberry  is  said  to  have  sprung) 
will  rarely  do  this.  They  do  not  like  poor,  thin,  dry  soils, 
the  Blackberry  in  particular.  The  Raspberry  may  grow, 
but  only  push  a  few  feeble  canes.  The  Blackberry 
will  very  likely  refuse  to  start  at  all. 

The  accommodating  nature  and  rapid  growth  of  the 
Loganberry  make  it  a  valuable  plant  for  forming  a  quick 
screen.  It  will  cover  a  given  area  of  fence  or  trellis 
in  a  quarter  the  time  that  Ivy  will,  and  give  heavy  crops 
of  fruit  into  the  bargain.  The  leaves  are  very  large  and 
soon  make  a  thick  mass.  It  is  true  that  they  are  shed  in 
autumn,  but  even  then  the  thick,  strong,  rugged,  spiny 
stems  form  a  very  good  screen  or  wind-break.  Of  course, 
the  finest  specimens  of  fruit  are  not  secured  when  the 
plant  is  crowded  in  this  way,  but  the  fruit  is  a  welcome 
side  issue  none  the  less. 

Fruit  and  vegetables  are  often  associated  in  kitchen 
gardens,  and  if  no  place  can  be  found  for  the  Loganberry, 
it  will  be  worth  while  to  put  up  an  arch  for  it.  Wall  space 
is  not  necessary,  and  may  be  reserved  for  more  delicate 
fruits,  such  as  Pears,  dessert  Plums,  Apricots,  Peaches, 
and  Nectarines.  The  Loganberry  is  very  much  at  home 
on  an  arch.  But  let  the  arch  be  a  big  one  if  the  soil  is 
good,  for  the  Loganberry  makes  light  of  throwing  up, 
half  a  dozen  growths  from  the  root  in  one  season,  each 
shoot  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  long.  There  may  be  a 
point  where  two  broad  paths  intersect  each  other,  and 
this  will  be  the  place  for  the  arch.  Given  a  little  annual 
pruning,  the  Loganberry  will  more  than  justify  itself. 
It  will  crop  prodigiously  every  year,  and  give  no  anxiety 


354  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

on  the  score  of  ill-health.  While  more  delicate  fruits 
are  fighting  their  way  slowly  along  against  insects  and 
fungi  the  Loganberry  will  be  flinging  itself  riotously 
and  whole-heartedly  over  yards  of  arch,  caring  for  nothing 
— a  great,  rough,  reckless,  rugged,  spiny  monster  .of  a 
creeper,  as  full  of  primitive  power  and  resolution  as  a 
grizzly  bear. 

The  way  to  prune  it  is  to  attack  the  oldest  shoots  after 
the  fruit  has  been  gathered,  and  cut  or  saw  them  out 
close  to  the  ground.  The  shoots  do  not  bear  the  same  year 
that  they  are  formed,  but  the  following  year.  After  they 
have  fruited  they  may  be  removed  if  there  are  plenty  of 
fresh  ones  to  take  their  places,  as  there  probably  will  be. 
A  plant  bought  in  from  a  nursery  may  have  several 
fruiting  shoots  on  it,  and  if  there  is  plenty  of  root  and  the 
soil  is  rich  a  couple  of  them  may  be  left  to  bear ;  but 
if  there  is  any  scarcity  of  root,  or  if  the  soil  is  poor,  it  will 
be  prudent  to  sacrifice  fruit  the  first  year  for  the  sake 
of  getting  the  plant  well  established  and  ensuring  plenty  of 
fruit  in  future  years. 

Although  the  Loganberry  is  so  rampant  a  grower  as  to 
spread  quickly  over  a  considerable  area  of  arch,  trellis 
or  fence  it  composes  itself  very  satisfactorily  to  the 
restriction  of  wire  culture.  For  economy  of  labour  in 
tying  growers  prefer  a  low  erection  to  a  high  one,  and  they 
rarely  put  up  more  than  four  wires,  which  are  a  foot  apart. 
With  this  arrangement  the  person  tying  can  get  at  all 
the  shoots  conveniently  without  steps.  The  long  growths 
are  not,  of  course,  tied  in  perpendicularly,  but  are  pulled 
down  to  an  obtuse  angle  and  tied  in  diagonally.  Anyone 
so  growing  "  Logans  "  on  a  large  scale  for  profit  would 
find  it  advisable  to  set  the  plants  twelve  feet  apart.  Even 
at  that  they  will  soon  meet.  If  there  are  several  wire 
frames  let  them  be  seven  feet  apart.  Thus  grown  the 


RASPBERRY     SUPERLATIVE 


THE   NEW  BERRIES  355 

plants  may  be  expected  to  yield  three  tons  of  fruit  per 
acre.  There  is  now  a  considerable  demand  for  it  canned 
in  syrup. 

There  are  two  points  which  the  grower  who  puts  up 
wire  frames  should  pay  particular  attention  to  :  the 
first  to  set  his  end  posts  so  firmly  that  they  cannot 
budge  an  inch  under  the  strain  of  the  tightened  wire, 
the  second  to  run  the  wire  from  a  reel,  and  not  attempt 
to  pay  it  out  by  hand.  If  the  straining-post  yields 
ever  so  little,  either  from  being  flexible  in  itself  or  from 
being  set  insecurely,  the  wire  will  slacken,  and  that  is 
undesirable.  If  the  wire  is  run  out  by  hand  from  its  coil 
it  will  turn  on  itself  and  form  kinks. 

The  Loganberry  is  propagated  by  tips,  and  plants 
so  raised  will  be  in  full  fruit  the  third  year.  The  tips 
should  not  be  cut  off  at  the  outset,  but  the  canes  should 
be  bent  over  to  the  ground,  and  pegged  there  with  a  few 
inches  of  the  tips  protruding.  When  roots  have  formed 
round  the  pegs,  the  canes  can  be  cut  through  and  restored 
to  their  places,  and  the  newly  formed  plants  put  out 
where  they  are  to  grow. 

There  is  another  hybrid  fruit  raised  by  crossing  Rasp- 
berry and  Blackberry,  and  it  is  called  the  Mahdi.  It 
has  not  the  tremendous  vigour  of  the  Loganberry, 
but  it  is  so  far  from  being  a  weakling  that  it  will  soon 
cover  an  arch.  Its  shoots  more  resemble  those  of  a 
Blackberry  than  those  of  the  Loganberry,  and  as  the 
fruit  is  black  it  might  be  taken  for  a  glorified  Blackberry. 
The  fruit,  however,  is  Raspberry-shaped.  It  is  sweeter 
than  the  Loganberry.  The  fruit  is  a  little  later  than  that 
of  the  Raspberry,  as,  indeed,  is  that  of  the  Loganberry. 

The  success  of  the  Loganberry  has  led  to  a  good  deal 
of  crossing  between  it  and  both  Raspberries  and  Black- 
ferries.  Nurserymen  are  alive  to  the  fact  that  if  they  could 


356  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

get  a  hybrid  Berry  with  Loganberry  vigour  and  pro- 
ductiveness and  rich  flavour,  they  would  have  a  most 
valuable  plant.  Personally,  I  believe  that  such  a  fruit 
would  oust  Raspberries  from  the  majority  of  private 
gardens  ;  there  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  it  would  hold 
undisputed  sway  in  poor-soil  gardens  where  Raspberries 
are  not  at  home.  As  regards  the  market-gardens,  I  am  not 
so  confident,  because  the  expense  of  growing  a  very  strong 
hybrid  Berry  would  be  much  greater  than  cultivating 
Raspberries,  on  account  of  the  greater  amount  of  wire 
required,  and  that  would  act  as  a  check  in  some  measure. 
Still,  a  great  public  demand  for  the  Berry  would  probably 
set  in,  and  that  would  encourage  extensive  planting. 

Several  early  attempts  at  raising  the  improved  hybrid 
Berry  have  come  to  fruition,  and  may  be  described  as 
encouraging.  Still,  a  great  deal  remains  to  be  done  before 
the  full,  rich,  sweet  flavour  of  a  good  Raspberry  is 
reached. 

The  Lowberry  is  a  hybrid  with  dark  fruit,  showing 
traces  of  Blackberry  blood,  but  it  crops  earlier  than 
existing  Blackberries. 

The  Laxtonberry,  described  as  a  cross  between  the 
Loganberry  and  a  well-known  variety  of  Raspberry 
called  Superlative,  greatly  resembles  a  Raspberry. 

The  Hailsham  Berry  leans  strongly  to  the  Raspberry, 
and  is  a  good  autumn  bearer. 

The  Phenomenalberry  appears  to  be  a  form  of  Logan- 
berry, with  possibly  sweeter  fruit. 

Those  who  buy  hybrid  Berries  should  keep  clearly 
before  themselves  that  what  is  wanted  is  not  so  much  a 
slightly  modified  Raspberry  as  an  enriched  Loganberry. 
If  a  new  fruit  closely  resembles  a  Raspberry  in  growth, 
shape  and  flavour  it  should  be  considered  a  Raspberry. 
There  arejmany  good  varieties  of  Raspberries,  and  more 


STRAWBERRY     ROYAL    SOVEREIGN 


THE   NEW  BERRIES  357 

are  wanted  only  if  they  are  improvements  on  existing  sorts. 
They  are  not  wanted  merely  to  hang  on  the  peg  of  the 
Loganberry. 

Some  good  modern  varieties  of  Raspberry  are  Profusion, 
Perfection,  Perpetuelle  de  Billard  (syn.  Belle  de  Fontenay), 
November  Abundance,  and  Alexandra.  The  last  three 
are  good  for  autumn  bearing.  The  first  two  are  well 
qualified  to  compete  with  such  popular  sorts  as  Super- 
lative and  Hornet.  Perfection  is  distinguished  by  its 
vigorous  growth  and  smooth  bright  red  stems. 

A  few  of  the  best  modern  Strawberries  are  Bedford 
Champion,  Reward,  Givon's  Late  Prolific,  Epicure,  and 
George  Monro  ;  but  Royal  Sovereign  is  still  the  best  for 
general  purposes.  Those  who  like  the  smaller-fruited 
"Perpetual"  Strawberries  should  grow  Laxton's  Per- 
petual or  St.  Antoine  de  Padoue. 


PART   III 
THE   NEW  VEGETABLE-GROWING 


CHAPTER   I 

A  NEW   IDEAL   FOR  TABLE  VEGETABLES 

ALTHOUGH  there  is  so  little  spectacular  interest  in 
vegetable  shows  that  they  cannot  be  held  except  at  a  loss 
— and  this  at  an  epoch  when  gardening  rides  on  a  high 
wave  of  public  favour,  and  shows  of  popular  flowers 
are  besieged  by  eager  amateurs — vegetable-growing  has 
made  noteworthy  advances  during  recent  years. 

There  has  been  a  great  development  in  vegetable- 
forcing.  In  minor  tents  at  great  horticultural  exhibitions 
one  sees  here  and  there  a  modest  display  of  early  vege- 
tables, and  although  the  majority  of  the  visitors  pass  them 
by  in  order  to  save  every  available  moment  for  the 
flower-stands,  a  not  inconsiderable  sprinkling  pauses  to 
take  notes  of  the  varieties.  There  are  dainty  dishes  of 
new  Potatoes,  small,  beautifully  formed,  of  refined 
texture  and  of  a  snowy  whiteness.  There  are  dishes  of 
Peas,  the  pods  covered  with  a  greyish  bloom  that  lies 
like  a  silvery  veil  over  the  bluish  green  skin.  Bunches 
of  tiny  salmon-coloured  Carrots,  no  bigger  than  Walnuts, 
offer  a  suggestion  of  melting  and  deliciously  flavoured 
pulp.  There  are  Cauliflowers,  too,  about  the  size  of 
cricket  balls,  close  of  grain  and  pure  white.  Rose,  white 
and  crimson  Radishes  ;  white,  yellow  and  purple-topped 
Turnips  ;  dainty  crinkled  Cabbage  Lettuces  ;  mighty 
heads  of  Asparagus ;  long,  thick,  succulent-looking 
Seakale ;  neat  little  Cabbages  with  firm  whity-green 

361 


362  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

hearts  nestling  in  a  hollow  of  dark  green  leaves  ;  orna- 
mental Borecoles  in  various  forms,  some  almost  as  ex- 
quisitely curled  as  Parsley,  others  brilliantly  coloured  ; 
slim  young  Onions  that 

.  .  .  lurk  within  the  bowl 
And,  half  suspected,  animate  the  whole; 

Rhubarb  of  vivid  vinous  tints ;  corkscrew-like  Chinese 
Artichokes  ;  ruddy  and  sleek  Tomatoes  ;  long  lissome 
Kidney  Beans — these  and  other  vegetables,  whether  for 
the  pot  or  the  salad-bowl,  help  to  uphold  the  importance 
of  the  kitchen-garden. 

These  small  dainty-looking  vegetables  have  a  delicacy 
of  flavour  which  is  not  found  in  the  great  gorged  specimens 
of  the  prize  competitions,  or  in  stale,  ill-prepared  shop 
produce.  They  are  fit  material  for  those  people  who 
rightly  refuse  to  accept  the  principle  that  anything 
from  the  garden  is  good  enough,  whether  in  the  material 
itself  or  the  cooking  of  it.  Unhappily,  these  people  are 
in  a  minority,  otherwise  we  should  not  see  the  sloppy, 
greasy-looking  greens,  the  lumpy,  parboiled  Potatoes, 
the  crude  slabs  of  Carrot,  which  are  now  so  common. 
Only  a  person  who  finds  the  chief  enjoyment  of  eating 
to  consist  in  gulping  great  lumps  of  meat  could  tolerate 
such  vegetables. 

People  of  the  middle  classes  would  shrink  from  eating 
the  coarse  and  unwholesome-looking  meat  which  is  dis- 
played in  the  windows  of  cookshops  in  mean  town  streets, 
and  yet  they  will  put  up  with  a  standard  in  vegetables, 
alike  as  to  quality  and  preparation  of  material,  which  is 
of  a  similar  stamp.  The  reply  might  be  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  exercise  so  much  care  with  vegetables  as 
with  meat,  because  the  danger  of  ptomaine-poisoning  is 
absent  with  the  one  and  present  with  the  other.  But 
against  this  there  is  the  obvious  rejoinder  that  stale  and 


IDEAL   FOR   TABLE   VEGETABLES     363 

badly  cooked  vegetables  are  dangerous  because  they  are 
indigestible. 

Those  who  have  learned  how  delicious  properly  grown 
and  well-cooked  vegetables  are  will  never  look  on  them 
as  a  mere  side  issue  of  meat  dishes.  They  will  assume, 
too,  a  different  attitude  to  what  are  commonly  regarded 
as  coarse  and  common  kinds.  Many  people  are  disposed 
to  regard  Cabbages,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Carrots,  Broccoli 
and  Leeks  as  unfit  for  refined  palates.  The  truth  is  that 
they  are  among  the  most  delicious  of  vegetables  when 
properly  grown  and  cooked.  None  is  more  delicate  in 
flavour,  none  more  wholesome,  than  the  Cabbage,  which 
ignorant  people  despise. 

So  far  as  vegetables  are  concerned,  one  often  sees  the 
principal  resources  of  a  garden  devoted  to  the  production 
of  great  masses  of  some  vegetable,  such  as  late  crops  of 
Potato  ;  that  could  be  bought  very  cheaply  by  the  sack 
from  a  particular  district  where  the  soil  yields  exceptional 
flavour.  This  is  bad  economy.  The  space  so  wasted 
could  be  utilized  for  the  purpose  of  producing  successional 
crops  of  Cabbages,  Cauliflowers,  Carrots,  Celery,  Peas, 
Kidney  Beans,  Tomatoes,  Vegetable  Marrows,  Lettuces, 
Radishes,  Endive,  Beetroot  and  Coleworts ;  also  beds  of 
Asparagus,  Seakale,  Chicory  and  Rhubarb  to  give  roots 
for  forcing. 

Young  half  or  three-quarter  grown  vegetables  are 
generally  more  delicate  in  flavour  than  fully  developed 
specimens.  It  is  true  that  it  is  not  wise  to  cut  Cabbages 
until  the  hearts  have  become  firm,  nor  to  gather  Peas 
while  the  pods  are  still  flat  and  soft ;  but  even  in  their 
case  the  period  of  gathering  should  anticipate  complete 
maturity.  In  the  case  of  Cauliflowers,  Carrots,  Beans, 
Vegetable  Marrows,  Lettuces  and  Radishes  youth  is 
vital. 


364  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

There  is  a  tendency  to  extend  the  frame  culture  of 
vegetables  among  those  who  have  learned  to  know  and 
appreciate  degrees  of  flavour,  partly  because  of  the 
earlier  crops,  and  partly  because  vegetables  from  frames, 
being  invariably  used  young,  are  more  delicate  in  flavour 
than  older  produce  from  the  open  ground.  Apart  from 
the  question  of  quality,  a  person  who  grows  vegetables, 
both  in  frame  and  open,  will  find  a  natural  impulse  to 
pull  the  former  at  an  earlier  stage  than  the  latter.  In 
using  frames  he  has  a  sense  that  he  is  expediting  the 
crops,  and  from  first  to  last  he  is  animated  by  the  feeling 
that  he  has  to  get  them  along  and  cleared  away  as  quickly 
as  possible.  Swift  action  and  constant  change  are  of  the 
very  nature  of  the  undertaking.  This  is  not  the  case 
with  the  ground  crops.  The  question  of  bulk  obtrudes 
itself,  and  often  develops  until  it  assumes  an  importance 
to  which  it  is  not  entitled.  Many  a  professional  gardener 
who  draws  vegetables,  quite  naturally,  from  frames  at 
the  half-grown  stage,  becomes  obsessed  insensibly  by 
the  craze  for  size  with  outdoor  crops,  and  lets  them  stand 
longer  than  they  should.  In  some  cases  things  go  much 
farther  than  this.  Varieties  are  deliberately  chosen 
because  they  grow  large,  and  they  are  subjected  to  a 
system  of  culture  which,  in  consideration  of  the  ex- 
penditure on  labour  and  manure,  would  suifice,  other- 
wise directed,  to  give  larger  quantities,  in  successions  of 
smaller  produce,  and  of  greatly  superior  quality. 

Frame-culture  tends  to  make  connoisseurs,  because 
pulling  and  gathering  vegetables  young  means  delicacy 
of  flavour.  And  under  frame-culture  may  be  reckoned 
the  use  of  cloches. 

The  wise  employer  of  garden  labour  will  not  encourage 
the  devotion  of  large  breadths  of  ground  to  vegetables, 
unless,  indeed,  his  household  is  a  very  large  one,  and 


IDEAL   FOR   TABLE   VEGETABLES     365 

there  are  both  town  and  country  houses  to  supply.  Nor 
will  he  be  in  full  sympathy  with  the  concentration  of  a 
great  amount  of  manure  and  labour  on  the  task  of  pre- 
paring a  piece  of  ground  to  yield  three-pound  Onions. 
It  would  be  to  his  personal  advantage  to  make  up  the 
few  pounds  which  the  man  hopes  to  win  in  prizes  with  the 
monster  vegetables  thus  produced  by  giving  a  shilling 
or  two  more  a  week  in  wages.  The  labour  and  manure 
would  then  be  diverted — and  diverted  with  cheerfulness 
—to  sites  for  frame-beds,  where  an  equal  quantity  of 
vegetables  would  be  produced,  but  in  continuous  small 
crops. 

Most  kitchen-gardens  are  made  much  too  large,  because 
they  are  designed  for  the  production  of  great  crops  of 
coarse  vegetables.  There  are  varieties  of  Cauliflower 
which  require  a  full  square  yard  each  of  ground.  Reckon 
that  a  hundred  plants  are  wanted,  and  a  calculation  will 
soon  show  how  large  a  piece  of  ground  is  needed  for  this 
crop  alone.  There  are,  however,  Cauliflowers  which  need 
no  more  than  half  a  yard  of  ground,  and  far  from  being 
inferior  to  the  larger  sorts  in  quality  they  are  much 
better. 

The  old-style  grower  will  reply  to  this  with  the  argu- 
ment :  If  you  use  two  hundred  small  plants  you  will 
require  more  labour  than  with  a  hundred  large  ones, 
because  you  will  have  double  the  quantity  to  plant. 
But  the  whole  point  is  that  longer  successions  of  smaller 
quantities  are  provided.  With  smaller  vegetables  there 
is  less  waste,  and  here  again  the  Cauliflower  may  be 
chosen  as  an  example.  The  great  varieties  that  need  a 
square  yard  of  ground  each  do  not  require  all  this  space 
for  their  hearts,  the  edible  parts.  It  is  necessary  because 
of  the  huge  leaves  they  carry,  and  which  are  of  no  value. 

The  scientific  spirit  should  be  brought  to  bear  on. 


366  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

kitchen-gardening,  just  as  it  is  on  making  armour  plates 
and  keeping  ledgers.  The  old  routine  is  followed  genera- 
tion after  generation.  There  is  improvement  in  vegetable- 
growing,  certainly,  but  it  is  rather  improvement  in 
varieties  than  in  method. 

With  a  wider  use  of  frames  and  cloches  there  will  be 
greater  concentration.  Smaller  varieties  than  hereto- 
fore will  be  grown.  There  will  be  more  labour  in  moving 
manure  and  frame-lights,  and  less  in  deep  delving. 

It  is  a  common  remark  that  the  French  put  more 
appetizing  vegetables  on  the  table  than  the  British  and 
Americans,  and  the  difference  is  attributed  to  superior 
cookery.  That  has  something  to  do  with  it  no  doubt, 
but  the  main  thing  is  that  smaller  kinds  are  used,  grown 
quickly  and  pulled  young. 

:  Gardening  with  frames  and  cloches  is  not  necessarily 
what  is  commonly  called  French  Gardening.  In  many 
large  Anglo-Saxon  gardens  glass  has  been  used  for  many 
years  in  growing  early  vegetables.  What  is  suggested 
is  that  the  glass  area — unheated  except  for  manure — 
should  be  increased.  Of  French  Gardening  proper  I 
shall  have  something  to  say  in  another  chapter. 

One  who  learns  how  tender  and  delicious  young 
Carrots,  Cauliflowers  and  Cabbages  are  will  be  satisfied 
that  there  are  other  vegetable  tit-bits  besides  Asparagus 
and  Seakale ;  and  will  be  only  too  ready  to  spend  a 
pound  or  two  in  frames  and  cloches.  He  will  consider  it 
well  worth  while  to  make  arrangements  for  having  a 
long  succession  of  crops,  limited  in  quantity,  but  adequate 
for  supplying  a  table  where  small  delicacies  are  recognized 
to  be  at  once  more  enjoyable  and  more  nourishing  than 
coarse  masses. 

An  amateur  gardener  who  manages  his  own  vegetable 
supply  will  find  it  both  more  interesting  and  more  satisfy- 


IDEAL   FOR   TABLE   VEGETABLES     367 

ing  to  provide  for  a  succession  of  small  crops  in  frames 
and  under  cloches  than  to  practise  laborious  trenching 
of  large  areas  for  huge  Cauliflowers  only  a  small  portion 
of  which  he  eats,  and  for  producing  gigantic  Cabbages, 
Onions,  Potatoes  and  Vegetable  Marrows.  Such  heavy 
work  of  this  kind  as  he  indulges  in  should  be  for  Peas, 
Runner  Beans  and  Celery,  which  require  more  room 
than  the  great  majority  of  vegetables. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  details  of  growing  early  sup- 
plies of  delicate  table  vegetables. 


CHAPTER  II 

AN  ECONOMICAL  SUPPLY  OF  FRESH  VEGETABLES 

IN  providing  a  long  supply  of  early  vegetables  it  is  im- 
possible to  dispense  with  glass,  and  difficult  to  do  without 
hotbeds.  Some  kinds  can  be  hastened  without  hotbeds, 
e.g.  Cauliflowers,  Potatoes  and  Carrots,  the  mere  pro- 
tection of  glass  serving  to  bring  them  into  yield  at  a 
period  appreciably  earlier  than  they  could  be  had  out  of 
doors ;  but  in  a  complete  and  comprehensive  system  of 
forcing,  hotbeds  will  play  an  important  part. 

The  vegetable-grower  need  not  confine  himself  to 
manure  alone,  the  heat  of  which,  fierce  at  first,  tends  to 
decline  quickly ;  he  may  with  advantage  bring  fallen 
leaves  into  play.  A  mass  of  leaves  engenders  heat,  mild, 
it  is  true,  but  lasting.  The  happy  medium  is  secured  by 
building  up  the  beds  with  both  manure  and  leaves,  for 
thus  a  steady  and  lasting  heat  is  secured ;  but  leaves 
should  predominate.  When  autumn  comes  part  can  be 
removed  for  use  in  composts  and  fresh  added  to  main- 
tain the  heat. 

The  site  has  a  great  bearing  on  the  period  of  cropping. 
If  exposed  to  cold  winds  or  shaded  by  trees  the  crops 
will  be  much  later  than  from  beds  which  are  sheltered 
from  tempests  and  in  full  sunshine.  The  frames  should 
slope  to  the  south,  so  that  the  glass  may  get  the  benefit 
of  every  ray  of  sunlight.  Ordinary  frames  are  made 
higher  at  the  back  than  the  front,  so  that  they  give  a. 

368, 


SUPPLY   OF   FRESH   VEGETABLES     369 

slope  to  the  glass  "  light/'  consequently  the  bed  may  be 
made  perfectly  flat ;  but  if  a  sharper  slope  is  wanted,  the 
bed  can  be  inclined.  The  sharper  the  slope  the  greater 
the  heat,  because  the  surface  is  plane  to  the  sun's  rays 
during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.  But  obviously  an 
inclined  surface  is  not  so  convenient  for  working  as  a  flat 
one.  Greater  care  is  necessary  in  packing  in  such  soil  as 
is  required,  lest  it  should  roll  down. 

A  great  depth  of  manure  is  only  needed  when  con- 
siderable heat  is  wanted.  In  the  system  of  producing 
early  vegetables  which  is  now  under  consideration  much 
heat  is  not  required ;  it  is  rather  a  gentle  and  steady 
warmth  which  is  aimed  at.  This  will  come  from  a  bed 
eighteen  inches  deep  if  the  materials  are  well  trodden 
down  so  as  to  form  a  firm  close  mass  ;  and  if  the  exterior 
is  sheltered  from  cold  winds.  Nine  inches  of  friable 
loamy  soil  will  complete  the  bed. 

The  principal  vegetables  which  may  be  pushed  gently 
on  for  early  yields  may  be  considered  in  alphabetical 
order. 

Asparagus. — Everybody  likes  this  tender  and  delicious 
vegetable.  Even  without  forcing  it  is  one  of  the  earliest 
of  crops,  coming  into  use  in  most  places  during  May. 
With  forcing  it  can  be  had  at  mid- winter.  Strong  forcing 
roots  are  somewhat  expensive,  but  the  only  alternative 
to  paying  the  price  is  to  spend  three  years  in  raising  a 
supply.  It  is  true  that  in  exceptional  cases — on  sandy  loam 
and  in  a  wet  season — crowns  may  be  ready  for  cutting  the 
second  year  from  sowing  seed,  but  it  is  not  usual  to  cut 
till  the  third  year.  Now,  until  the  roots  are  strong  enough 
for  yielding  in  the  open  they  are  not  strong  enough  to  be 
forced.  Sowing  in  March  of,  say,  the  year  1912,  the 
grower  should  not  expect  to  be  able  to  lift  roots  for 
forcing  till  the  winter  of  1915-16.  Cutting  without  forcing 

2    A 


370  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

would  begin,  in  the  ordinary  way,  in  the  spring  of  1916. 
A  crown  should  not  be  forced  unless  the  thick  fleshy 
roots,  gathered  into  a  mass,  form  a  good  handful,  because 
the  heads  from  weak  crowns  are  spindly  and  unsubstantial. 
Given  strong  stools  there  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in 
forcing  Asparagus  in  hotbed  frames,  for  it  grows  readily 
with  bottom  heat  and  moisture.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to 
place  the  roots  on  the  soil  just  touching  each  other,  then 
cover  them  with  about  three  inches  of  light,  moist  soil, 
give  a  good  watering,  and  put  on  the  lights.  The  frames 
may  be  syringed  with  lukewarm  water  daily.  If  frosty 
weather  should  supervene  mats  may  be  thrown  over  the 
lights.  After  a  long  spell  of  hard  weather  a  layer  of  fresh 
manure  may  be  packed  round  the  outsides  of  the  bed  and 
base  of  the  frame.  If  plants  are  raised  from  seed,  the 
variety  Connover's  Colossal  may  be  chosen,  for  it  is  one 
of  the  earliest  sorts  and  also  one  of  the  best. 

Kidney  Beans. — Two  types  may  be  grown,  the  dwarf 
French  and  the  climbing  French.  The  former  is  the  more 
often  used,  and  it  is  the  more  convenient  to  grow,  because 
the  plants  take  up  very  little  room  and  are  easily  staked. 
But  the  latter  is  very  productive,  and  will  yield  much 
heavier  crops  than  its  dwarf  sister.  Neither  is  suitable 
for  frame-culture,  and  the  climbing  variety  at  all  events 
must  have  house-room .  They  are  mentioned  in  connection 
with  forced  vegetables  because  it  is  common  to  grow  them 
in  the  winter  and  early  spring.  They  are  sown  in  7-inch 
or  8-inch  pots,  and  brought  on  in  warm,  light  houses. 
They  are  quite  easy  to  grow,  the  climbing  form  especially, 
if  regular  syringing  with  lukewarm  water  can  be  prac- 
tised ;  but  not  otherwise,  as  if  the  air  becomes  dry  around 
them  they  are  almost  sure  to  be  attacked  by  red  spider, 
and  that  means  speedy  failure.  Tender  and  True  and 
Princess  of  Wales  are  suitable  varieties  of  the  climbing 


SUPPLY   OF   FRESH   VEGETABLES     371 

form,  and  either  may  be  chosen.  Superlative  and 
Canadian  Wonder  are  two  of  the  best  dwarfs  ;  the  latter 
is  the  more  vigorous  of  the  two,  but  paler.  When  they  are 
in  full  bearing  doses  of  liquid  manure  twice  a  week  will  be 
helpful. 

Carrots. — The  little  Carrot  of  the  frames,  hardly  bigger 
than  a  bantam's  egg,  stump-rooted,  and  bright  in  colour, 
is  quite  a  delicacy,  and  is  a  totally  different  thing  from 
the  coarse,  bloated  root  of  the  over-fed  kitchen-garden. 
It  is  melting,  marrowy  and  delicious.  It  not  only  has  a 
short  root  but  a  short  top,  and  is  quite  suitable  for  culture 
in  small  frames.  In  larger  frames  the  Intermediate  type 
may  be  grown,  particularly  by  those  who  like  the  some- 
what richer  flavour.  Given  a  light,  gritty  soil  there  is 
rarely  a  failure  to  record,  unless,  indeed,  slugs  should  be 
abundant ;  these  marauders  must  not  be  allowed  to  have 
their  own  way,  but  searched  for  at  night  with  a  lamp 
and  destroyed ;  lime  may  be  dusted  round  the  frame  as 
a  deterrent.  If  the  seeds  are  sown  in  half-inch  deep 
drills,  nine  inches  apart,  there  will  be  room  for  a  super- 
numerary crop  in  the  form  of  Radishes,  which  may  be 
sprinkled  between,  and  drawn  for  use  when  ready,  which 
will  be  before  the  Carrots  want  the  whole  of  the  room. 
A  sowing  of  Carrots  may  be  made  in  autumn  and  winter 
at  such  intervals  as  may  be  necessary  for  maintaining 
the  supply  required.  More  sowings  may  be  made  in 
Spring  if  the  Carrots  are  wanted  in  early  summer,  before 
the  outdoor  crops  are  ready.  Early  Parisian  Forcing  is 
one  of  the  best  of  the  small  early  Carrots.  Early  Gem 
and  Favourite,  both  of  which  are  stump-rooted,  carry 
the  grower  on  by  stages  to  the  pointed-root  Intermediates, 
of  which  the  New  and  St.  Valery  are  good  selections. 

Cauliflowers. — It  is  a  moot  point  whether  it  is  worth 
while  to  force  Cauliflowers  so  early  as  to  give  hearts  in 


372  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

spring,  because  Broccolis  are  then  available  in  the  open. 
The  issue  may  be  decided  by  considering  the  following 
points  :  In  favour  of  Cauliflowers,  superior  flavour  and 
greater  purity.  In  favour  of  Broccoli,  greater  hardiness, 
a  bigger  bulk  of  crop  and  simplicity  of  culture  (the  seed 
being  sown  out  of  doors  the  previous  spring,  and  the 
plants  put  out  between  early  Potatoes  in  early  summer). 
Where  there  is  a  large  area  of  ground  it  may  be  well  to 
rely  on  Broccolis  for  spring  use,  and  give  the  Cauli- 
flowers mere  frame  protection  without  a  hotbed  so  that 
they  may  come  in  after  the  Broccolis  are  over.  Thus, 
they  could  be  sown  in  a  frame  at  the  end  of  September 
without  heat,  and  planted  out  in  early  April.  If,  how- 
ever, small,  delicate  Cauliflowers,  milk-white  and  delicious 
in  flavour,  are  wanted  in  spring,  the  seed  can  be  sown 
in  heat  in  autumn,  and  the  plants  put  out  in  hotbed 
frames.  The  soil  should  be  deeper  and  richer  than  for 
Carrots,  and  the  plants  should  be  set  a  foot  apart.  Early 
Erfurt  is  a  suitable  variety.  For  planting  under  cloches 
a  somewhat  larger,  but  not  coarse,  variety  may  be 
grown,  such  as  Magnum  Bonum. 

Chicory. — One  has  to  go  to  Belgium  to  see  Chicory  in 
the  position  of  a  front-rank  forcing  vegetable.  Such  it 
is  there,  and  very  delicious  too,  giving  a  strong  reminder 
of  Seakale  in  appearance,  and,  like  that  esteemed 
vegetable,  of  a  well-marked,  though  not  similar,  flavour. 
Many  growers  of  Chicory  content  themselves  with  the 
use  of  the  young  leaves  in  salading.  No  frame  is  re- 
quired here,  for  the  seed  is  sown  in  the  open  ground  in 
spring,  and  the  roots  so  raised  are  packed  in  boxes  of 
soil,  and  put  in  a  cellar  in  autumn  or  winter,  when 
blanched  leaves  will  push  from  the  crowns.  If  Chicory 
is  to  be  used  as  a  vegetable,  the  variety  Witloef  should  be 
selected,  and  grown  in  rich  soil  so  as  to  yield  large  roots. 


SUPPLY   OF   FRESH   VEGETABLES     373 

These,  packed  in  soil  and  put  in  a  Mushroom  house  or 
other  dark,  warm  structure,  will  push  thick  crowns. 

Lettuces. — Salad-lovers  will  want  constant  supplies  of 
Lettuce,  and  the  demand  for  it  will  be  greater  still  where 
it  is  liked  as  a  cooked  vegetable.  It  is  an  old  custom  to 
sow  Lettuces  out  of  doors  in  summer,  set  them  out  in 
autumn  like  Cabbages,  and  leave  them  to  stand  the 
winter  in  the  open  ground,  there  to  give  an  early  supply 
the  following  summer.  But  this  is  not  enough  for  the 
pronounced  salad-lover,  who  will  sow  boxes  of  seed  under 
glass  at  frequent  intervals  in  autumn  and  winter,  and 
set  the  plants  out  about  six  inches  apart  in  hotbed 
frames ;  alternate  plants  are  drawn  young  and  the 
remainder  left  to  grow  to  a  larger  size.  With  water  as 
required  and  ventilation  whenever  the  weather  is  favour- 
able the  crop  will  give  no  trouble.  Acquisition,  Golden 
Queen,  Early  Cold  Frame,  May  Queen  and  Romaine 
Cos  are  all  suitable  sorts.  (See  also  the  chapter  on  French 
Gardening.) 

Peas. — One  of  the  most  delicious  of  crops,  this  is  also 
one  of  the  most  perplexing  to  the  forcer,  partly  owing 
to  the  fact  that  the  plant  requires  a  good  deal  of  room, 
partly  because  it  does  not  respond  well  to  much  heat. 
For  frame-culture  only  the  dwarfest  varieties  are  avail- 
able. Those  who  have  lofty  and  airy  houses  may,  in 
fact  should,  choose  taller  sorts,  although  the  tallest 
Marrowfat  varieties  should  not  be  selected.  Two  ex- 
cellent varieties  of  medium  height  are  Duchess  of  York 
and  World's  Record.  The  former  is  one  of  the  best 
forcers,  and  the  latter  is  one  of  the  finest  forms  of  the 
popular  Gradus  type.  Another  variety  that  might  be 
grown  is  Pilot.  Seeds  may  be  sown  in  autumn  and  winter, 
little  or  no  fire-heat  is  given,  and  abundance  of  air 
provided.  This,  with  watering  and  staking,  should 


374  THE  NEW   GARDENING 

suffice  to  give  a  crop,  but  if  the  plants  run  up 
rapidly,  producing  spindly  haulm,  they  are  not  likely 
to  pod. 

Potatoes. — This  is,  again,  a  very  easy  vegetable  to 
force,  given  a  few  inches  of  light,  friable  soil  over  a  mild 
hotbed  of  manure  and  leaves.  The  tubers  may  be  set 
four  inches  deep  and  nine  inches  apart  in  rows  a  foot 
asunder.  Here,  as  in  the  Carrot  frame,  it  will  be  feasible 
to  snatch  a  crop  of  Radishes  by  sowing  seed  between  the 
rows.  An  early  Potato  that  does  not  make  a  great 
amount  of  haulm,  such  as  May  Queen,  Sharpens  Victor 
or  Snowdrop  (the  last  a  little  later  than  the  other  two), 
should  be  chosen  for  frame  culture.  Those  who  have 
large  houses  frequently  grow  early  Potatoes  in  pots  or 
shallow  boxes.  Pots  are  very  convenient,  because  they 
can  be  taken  off  the  reversed  plant  at  intervals,  tubers 
which  are  large  enough  for  use  picked  off  the  root,  and 
the  pots  replaced. 

Rhubarb. — Great  lovers  of  Rhubarb  will  not  be  content 
with  expediting  matters  out  of  doors  by  placing  bottom- 
less casks  or  manure  over  the  stools ;  but  will  want  to 
lift  some  of  the  roots  and  force  them  under  cover.  Few 
things  are  more  easy.  In  the  first  place  choose  a  clump 
which  shows  three  or  four  plump  crowns.  If  it  is  about 
a  foot  across,  well  and  good.  Leave  it  and  its  selected 
companions  lying  in  the  open  for  a  few  days,  fully  ex- 
posed ;  if  the  weather  is  frosty  so  much  the  better,  for 
frosted  clumps  generally  give  the  earliest  produce. 
Now  pack  them  close  together  in  the  hotbed  frame  or 
other  chosen  place  and  cover  them  with  about  four  inches 
of  soil.  Syringe  the  bed  with  lukewarm  water  daily. 
When  growth  begins  throw  a  mat  over  the  frame  to 
keep  it  dark  and  warm.  Dawe's  Challenge  is  one  of 
the  most  suitable  varieties.  By  this  simple  plan  Rhubarb 


SUPPLY   OF   FRESH   VEGETABLES     375 

can  be  got  much  earlier  than  from  protected  roots  in 
the  open  air. 

Radishes. — We  have  seen  under  Carrots  and  Potatoes 
how  easily  this  useful  salad  can  be  grown,  and  it  only 
remains  to  indicate  one  or  two  appropriate  sorts.  The 
following  are  all  distinguished  by  quick  root-formation 
and  small  tips,  so  that  they  possess  the  two  principal 
qualifications  :  Earliest  of  All  Rose  Turnip,  Red  Forcing, 
White  Forcing,  Red  white-tipped  Forcing. 

Seakale. — Perhaps  the  most  esteemed  of  all  early 
vegetables,  Seakale  is  easily  forced  when  there  is  a 
supply  of  strong  crowns,  but  these  are  essential  to  a 
start.  It  is  little  satisfaction  to  begin  with  small  bits 
barely  an  inch  thick  and  four  or  five  inches  long ;  what 
are  wanted  are  pieces  nearly  two  inches  thick  and  eight 
or  nine  inches  long,  for  these  will  give  solid,  succulent 
sticks  that  will  cook  beautifully  and  be  of  delicious 
flavour  when  put  on  the  table.  The  forcer  may  not  be 
able  to  grow  such  good  crowns  as  these  if  his  soil  is  shallow 
and  poor,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  if  it  is  very  stiff,  for 
Seakale  enjoys  a  light,  friable,  but  deep  and  fertile  soil; 
but  he  should  try.  He  should  dig  his  ground  as  deeply 
as  possible,  manure  it  liberally,  and  plant  pieces  of  root, 
half  an  inch  thick  and  six  or  eight  inches  long  up  to  the 
tip,  eighteen  inches  apart  all  ways  in  spring.  They  will 
be  large  enough  to  force,  all  going  well  with  them,  the 
following  winter.  In  default,  he  must  buy  crowns  ready 
for  forcing  from  his  seedsman  or  nurseryman.  If  a 
complete  start  has  to  be  made  from  seed  three  years  will 
be  required  to  get  crowns  strong  enough  for  forcing 
satisfactorily.  A  person  who  has  a  Mushroom  house  may 
pack  the  Seakale  in  crowns  in  boxes  with  soil  between, 
and  set  them  in  a  warm  dark  part  of  it.  Or  the  forcing 
may  be  done  in  a  hotbed  frame  kept  dark.  The  Seakale, 


376  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

indeed,  will  come  almost  anywhere  that  is  warm,  dark 
and  with  the  air  reasonably  sweet.  Just  pack  the  crowns 
close  together  among  the  soil,  give  water  occasionally, 
keep  them  warm  and  dark,  and  the  crowns  will  push 
thick,  stem-like  clusters  of  incipient  foliage  which  can 
be  cut  when  about  eight  inches  long.  The  supply  thus 
produced  will  keep  the  grower  going  until  his  outdoor 
crop,  forced  under  earth  or  ashes  as  it  stands  in  the  rows, 
or  under  Seakale  pots,  baskets  or  boxes  heaped  over 
with  hot  manure,  is  ready,  so  maintaining  a  long  succes- 
sion. 

Turnips. — Inasmuch  as  the  Turnip  is  so  hardy  as  to 
withstand  a  considerable  degree  of  cold,  and  can  be  had 
in  the  open  air  in  autumn  and  winter  except  in  very 
severe  weather,  many  will  hardly  consider  it  worth  while 
to  force,  but  the  connoisseur  may  wish  to  do  so  for  the 
sake  of  the  more  tender  flesh  and  more  delicate  flavour 
of  roots  grown  under  glass.  The  procedure  is  simple 
enough,  for  seed  of  a  selected  variety,  such  as  White 
Model  or  Golden  Ball,  only  needs  to  be  sown  broadcast 
in  light  soil  in  a  hotbed  frame,  and  covered  half  an  inch 
deep  in  autumn  or  winter.  Daily  syringing  with  luke- 
warm water  should  be  practised,  and  the  frame  should 
be  ventilated  in  favourable  weather.  Beyond  thinning, 
if  the  seedlings  come  crowded  the  crop  will  require  no 
further  attention.  The  roots  will  be  mild,  cool,  melting 
and  of  delicate  flavour. 

Vegetable  Marrows. — Where  there  is  a  fairly  large 
frame  available  this  tender  and  agreeable  vegetable  may 
be  pushed  on  for  early  use,  a  variety  of  special  flavour 
being  chosen,  such  as  Moore's  Cream.  It  is  best  to  raise 
the  plants  in  a  box  or  pot  in  a  warm  house  about  mid- 
winter, and  put  them  out  when  about  six  inches  high, 
allowing  each  two  square  yards  of  space.  If  the  shoots 


SUPPLY   OF   FRESH   VEGETABLES     377 

become  crowded,  thin  them  so  that  they  may  spread  over 
the  bed  quite  clear  of  each  other.  They  will  probably 
bear  delicious  young  fruits  in  April  and  May.  When  the 
weather  is  warm  and  settled  the  frames  may  be  taken 
away  and  the  same  plants  used  for  the  summer  supply, 
because  if  a  coat  of  fertile  soil  is  spread  among  them, 
particularly  round  the  main  stem,  they  will  continue 
to  extend  and  produce  fresh  fruit  over  a  period  of  many 
weeks. 

Onions. — Although  young  Onions  will  be  in  demand 
it  is  not  necessary  to  sow  them  under  glass,  because  a 
suitable  supply  can  be  maintained  from  the  open  ground 
by  sowing  seed  in  August.  Almost  any  white  variety 
will  do ;  in  case  of  doubt  the  White  Lisbon  may  be 
chosen. 

Cabbages. — Young  green  Cabbages  are  also  very 
popular  early  in  spring,  but  these  also  are  best  grown 
out  of  doors,  as  even  if  they  do  not  run  to  seed  in  hotbed 
frames  they  do  not  form  the  firm  white  hearts  which  are 
required.  These  come  readily  enough  in  the  open  ground 
if  a  suitable  variety,  such  as  Flower  of  Spring,  is  sown 
in  early  August  and  planted  on  rich  but  firm  ground  in 
October. 

Broad  Beans  are  sometimes  forced  in  a  similar  way  to 
Peas,  but  this  rather  coarse  vegetable  is  not  in  general 
demand  as  an  early  table  delicacy,  and  it  suffices  to  sow 
a  quick-growing  hardy  variety  like  Beck's  Dwarf  Gem 
or  Early  Mazagan  out  of  doors  in  October  for  the  first 
crop  of  the  year. 

Celery,  again,  is  sometimes  forced  in  frames  and 
blanched  with  brown  paper,  but  generally  the  early 
supply  is  grown  on  a  warm  border  out  of  doors. 

Tomatoes  are  a  recognized  winter  crop  in  large  estab- 
lishments, but  they  are  generally  grown  in  pots  in  a  lofty 


378  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

airy  house.  Although  they  can  be  grown  in  frames  the 
training  presents  a  difficulty. 

Cucumbers  are  generally  grown  in  houses  for  early 
crops,  and  trained  on  trellises  under  the  glass. 

Where  comparatively  bulky  crops  like  Peas,  Celery, 
Vegetable  Marrows,  Broad  Beans  and  large  varieties  of 
Cauliflowers  are  forced  without  a  house  a  brick  pit  or 
large  frame  on  a  substantial  bank  of  manure  is  called  for. 
The  manure  may  be  bedded  within  a  framework  of  stout 
boards.  This,  however,  is  not  necessary  for  Carrots, 
Potatoes,  Lettuces,  Radishes,  Turnips,  Asparagus,  Sea- 
kale,  Rhubarb  and  small  Cauliflowers.  For  these  a  small 
frame  such  as  that  in  which  an  amateur  might  grow  a 
crop  of  summer  Cucumbers  will  suffice. 

A  supply  of  Parsley  could  also  be  grown  in  such  a 
frame  by  sowing  seed  in  autumn  and  winter. 


CHAPTER  III 

FRENCH    GARDENING 

THE  previous  chapter  has  shown  us  that  we  can  get  an 
early  supply  of  delicious  vegetables  without  going  in 
systematically  for  what  is  known  as  French  Gardening. 

The  French  system  is  a  highly  concentrated  one,  and 
necessarily  expensive.  Under  it  an  enormous  amount 
of  produce  is  got  from  a  small  area  of  ground,  because 
the  soil  is  greatly  enriched  and  rapid  successions  are 
arranged.  The  upper  soil  is  turned  into  a  black  mould 
(terreau)  with  manure,  and  the  under  soil,  which  the 
British  gardener  breaks  up  and  brings  into  cultivation, 
is  left  untouched. 

Amateur  gardeners  who  adopt  the  French  system  of 
gardening  generally  find  it  unsatisfactory.  The  truth 
is  that  it  is  too  highly  specialized  to  be  conducted  success- 
fully without  close  study,  considerable  outlay,  incessant 
attention  and  long  practice.  A  person  who  has  had  no 
training  could  no  more  expect  to  succeed  in  it  than  a 
beginner  at  chess  could  expect  to  be  able  to  solve  a 
master's  problem. 

French  gardening  is  essentially  scientific.  It  brings 
knowledge,  assiduity  and  a  variety  of  ingenious  ap- 
pliances to  bear  on  the  problem  of  the  earth's  increase. 
It  is  a  business  system.  It  was  developed  in  order  to 
supply  the  markets. 

A  private  gardener  or  amateur  would  not  find  it 

379 


380  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

advantageous  to  establish  a  complete  French  garden. 
Only  where  there  is  a  commercial  outlet  for  the  produce 
should  it  be  considered.  The  heavy  cost  and  the  great 
amount  of  labour  involved  alike  stand  in  the  way  of 
French  gardening  for  home  purposes  alone. 

When  market-gardening  comes  under  consideration 
the  French  system  is  entitled  to  due  deliberation.  It 
should  be  examined  thoroughly  in  all  its  aspects.  Theo- 
retically things  can  be  worked  out  to  a  nicety  with  the 
aid  of  the  multiplication  table  :  on  the  debit  side  so 
much  ground  at  a  particular  price,  so  many  frames  and 
cloches  at  obtainable  figures,  so  much  manure  at  a  given 
cost  per  load,  so  much  in  wages  ;  on  the  credit  side,  so 
many  thousand  Lettuces  at  an  average  of  a  penny  each, 
so  many  pounds  of  Tomatoes  at  43.  6d.  per  stone,  so 
many  Cauliflowers  at  33.  per  dozen,  and  so  forth.  In 
practice  it  is  not  so  satisfactory.  One  thing  can  be 
established  readily  enough,  and  that  is  that  a  gross  sum 
of  between  five  hundred  and  a  thousand  pounds  per  acre 
per  annum  can  be  realized,  given  a  sale  for  the  bulk  of 
the  produce  grown  at  average  prices.  This  seems  to 
leave  an  ample  margin,  but  it  is  not  too  great,  consider- 
ing the  heavy  expenses  involved.  Indeed,  a  profit  the 
first  year  is  impossible  and  very  unlikely  the  second. 

It  seems  desirable,  in  view  of  the  public  interest  in 
French  gardening,  to  make  a  detailed  inquiry  into  it, 
bringing  into  purview,  not  merely  the  various  crops  and 
the  methods  of  growing  them,  but  also  what  might  be 
called  the  tactical  considerations — outlet  for  produce, 
site  and  so  forth. 

In  the  first  place,  the  would-be  marketer  must  in- 
quire into  the  question  of  markets.  He  might  find  what 
appeared  at  the  outset  to  be  a  good  opportunity,  because 
suitable  land  could  be  acquired  cheaply,  resolve  itself 


FRENCH   GARDENING  381 

into  a  bad  one  for  the  reason  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
district  were  scattered  over  a  wide  area,  well  provided 
with  cottage  gardens  and  allotments.  An  agricultural 
district  is  rarely  good  for  French  gardening,  because 
most  of  the  people  eat  nothing  but  plain  vegetables  at 
the  natural  seasons  for  them ;  moreover,  manure  is 
difficult  to  obtain,  the  farmers,  fruit-growers  and  hop- 
cultivators  all  clinging  jealously  to  the  supplies  of  their 
stables  and  yards  for  home  use. 

Nearness  to  a  very  large  town  has  distinct  disad- 
vantages. In  the  first  place  land  is  costly.  Secondly  it 
is  difficult  to  get  access  to  the  retail  tradesmen,  and 
business  has  to  be  done  through  the  public  markets, 
where  competition  is  fierce  and  middlemen  rampant. 

The  best  chance  of  success  is  in  a  district  where  there 
are  several  small  towns,  in  which  connections  with  the 
local  tradesmen  can  be  opened  up  direct ;  or  within 
reasonable  distance  of  a  large  health  resort,  particularly 
one  which  draws  visitors  throughout  the  year.  In  such 
a  place  there  are  hotels  of  good  standing,  high-class 
boarding  houses,  nursing  homes,  convalescent  institu- 
tions, large  private  schools  and  other  places  in  which 
there  is  likely  to  be  an  opening  for  choice  vegetables  at 
remunerative  prices.  In  such  a  case,  a  grower  would 
have  to  consider  whether  it  would  be  best  to  endeavour 
to  deal  direct  with  the  various  establishments,  or  through 
the  principal  shops ;  tradesmen  would  not  permit  him 
to  do  both.  If  he  did  a  private  trade  he  would  have  to 
provide  means  for  a  daily  delivery  from  house  to  house, 
just  as  a  shopkeeper  does.  He  would  receive  higher 
prices  for  what  he  sold,  but  might  not  dispose  of  a  large 
quantity.  If  he  dealt  with  the  shops  alone,  he  would 
have  to  charge  less,  but  would  have  an  enlarged  output. 
Experience  would  probably  teach  him  that  the  latter 


382  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

was  the  more  remunerative,  but  if  an  attempt  to  supply 
the  shops  failed  an  effort  could  be  made  to  secure  a 
private  trade. 

Many  people  go  into  commercial  gardening  without 
giving  due  weight  to  the  fact  that  in  certain  respects  it 
comes  under  the  laws  which  govern  other  trades.  They 
do  not  look  beyond  the  cultural  part,  which  is  pleasant 
and  interesting,  to  the  commerical,  which  is  apt  to  be 
disagreeable  and  even  sordid.  A  person  of  education 
and  good  breeding  who  goes  into  market-gardening  may 
not  find  customers  awaiting  him  with  smiles,  courteous 
words  and  open  purses  to  receive  his  wares.  He  is  more 
likely  to  find  himself  rebuffed  and  even  brow-beaten  by 
ill-bred  and  avaricious  bargainers.  Nor,  perhaps,  will 
he  find  the  labour  he  employs  so  contented  and  respectful 
as  that  which  he  has  been  accustomed  to  in  private  service. 

These  words  of  warning  are  the  more  necessary, 
because  during  recent  years  there  has  been  a  consider- 
able movement  towards  commercial  horticulture  on  the 
part  of  cultured  people,  owing  to  the  professions  having 
become  so  crowded.  The  culture  of  fruit,  flowers  and 
vegetables  for  sale  brings  an  educated  person  into 
contact  with  natures  very  different  from  his  own,  as  a 
visit  to  any  market  or  gathering  of  greengrocers  will 
convince  him.  The  standard  of  honour  and  manners  is 
lower.  Anyone  who  is  going  to  pursue  French  or  any 
other  system  of  gardening  for  profit  must  readjust  his 
expectations  with  regard  to  the  rules  of  intercourse. 
He  must  learn  the  disagreeable  lesson  that  in  trade  it 
does  not  do  to  trust  to  the  personal  honour  of  a  man 
whose  training  has  been  based  on  the  maxim  of  buying 
in  the  cheapest  market  and  selling  in  the  dearest,  and 
who  will  therefore  drive  the  best  bargain  which  he  can, 
irrespective  of  whether  it  be  a  fair  one  or  not, 


FRENCH    GARDENING  383 

So  far  from  market  -  gardening  being  one  of  the 
pleasantest  and  simplest  of  professions,  it  is,  in  some 
respects,  one  of  the  most  disagreeable  and  complicated. 
To  the  ordinary  risks  of  trade  are  added  the  troubles  and 
anxieties  which  arise  from  the  changes  of  the  weather, 
and  the  responsibilities  of  dealing  in  perishable  goods, 
which  have  to  be  sold  quickly,  or  they  become  worse 
than  valueless,  costing  nearly  as  much  labour  to  destroy 
as  they  have  done  to  grow.  And  if  these  drawbacks  are 
not  serious  enough  there  is  the  additional  one,  ever 
present  with  the  market-grower,  of  insect  or  fungoid 
enemies  threatening  to  decimate  and  even  destroy  his 
crops. 

If  after  consideration  of  these  points  there  is  still  a 
desire  to  pursue  French  gardening,  and  if,  further,  a 
place  that  promises  to  present  a  good  opening  for  produce 
has  been  found,  the  next  question  is  the  site  of  the 
garden.  Perhaps  the  three  most  important  matters  are 
good  soil,  shelter  and  an  abundant  supply  of  water  under 
pressure. 

A  light,  friable,  loamy  soil  is  desirable,  because  it 
tends  to  give  early  crops  ;  and  earliness  is  more  im- 
portant than  bulk.  It  should  not  be  considered  that  the 
soil  is  of  no  real  importance  because  the  French  system 
of  making  terreau  with  manure  is  to  prevail.  Outdoor 
crops  will  be  necessary  in  some  cases,  indeed,  for  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  year  they  will  hold  the  sway.  But 
light  loamy  soil  is  not  vital,  and  heavier  land  will  prove 
its  value  with  certain  late  crops,  notably  Celery,  Onions, 
Peas,  Beans  and  green  vegetables  generally. 

Natural  shelter,  especially  from  the  north  and  east, 
will  prove  a  great  advantage,  for  it  will  break  the  strong 
cutting  winds,  which  do  so  much  to  lower  the  tempera- 
ture of  hotbeds  in  spring.  If  there  is  no  shelter  it  ought 


384  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

to  be  provided,  and  the  cheapest  form  that  is  likely  to  be 
of  any  real  value  is  a  galvanized  iron  erection  eight  feet 
high.  High  brick  walls  are  of  course  vastly  better, 
because  they  will  support  fruit  trees,  but  the  cost  is  very 
serious.  An  acre  of  ground  could  hardly  be  enclosed 
with  a  really  good  wall  at  a  less  cost  than  £400. 

A  great  deal  of  water  is  required  in  French  gardening, 
and  it  is  important  to  have  it  under  pressure,  in  order 
that  stand-pipes,  which  will  give  a  rapid  flow,  may  be 
erected  at  various  parts  of  the  garden.  If  the  district  is 
not  one  in  which  water  is  "  laid  on,"  and  there  is  no  likeli- 
hood of  a  supply  coming,  it  will  be  necessary  to  provide 
powerful  pumping  machinery,  whether  in  the  form  of  a 
petrol  engine  to  draw  water  from  a  neighbouring  river, 
or  a  mill  to  draw  a  supply  from  deep  wells. 

It  may  or  may  not  be  necessary  to  erect  a  dwelling- 
house.  If  it  is,  the  cost  of  establishment  is  increased 
indefinitely,  according  to  the  tastes  and  requirements  of 
the  principal. 

With  the  main  essentials  disposed  of  details  can  be 
approached. 

A  supply  of  manure  is  essential,  and  to  reduce  the 
cost  of  this  it  is  desirable  to  be  near  a  railway  station, 
otherwise  the  expense  of  carting  from  the  railway  to  the 
garden  may  be  as  great  as  the  first  cost  of  the  material. 
It  is  rarely  possible  to  get  abundance  of  manure  from 
local  sources,  and  so  contracts  have  to  be  made  in  the 
big  towns.  The  development  of  motoring  is  leading  to  a 
decrease  in  the  number  of  town  horses,  and  the  cost  of 
town  manure  will  probably  tend  to  rise  as  time  goes  on. 
Even  an  increase  of  sixpence  a  load  must  be  considered, 
because  large  quantities  are  needed.  However,  the 
quantity  can  be  reduced  after  the  first  three  or  four 
years,  because  a  good  deal  of  terreau  will  have  been 


FRENCH  GARDENING  385 

formed  from  the  early  importations.  The  cost  of  manure 
on  the  place  will  be  five  to  eight  shillings  per  ton,  ac- 
cording to  circumstances. 

Frames  made  on  the  French  system  are  small  and 
handy.  The  "  lights  "  are  easy  to  move  and  made  con- 
venient for  stacking  when  the  frames  are  not  in  use.  A 
typical  frame  is  thirteen  feet  long  by  four  feet  six  inches 
wide,  nine  inches  deep  at  the  back  and  seven  inches  at 
the  front,  with  two  wood  cross-bars  for  supporting  three 
lights  four  feet  seven  inches  long  by  four  feet  four  inches 
wide.  Painted  with  three  coats  and  glazed  with  2i-oz. 
glass,  the  cost  may  be  about  45.  per  foot  run.  The  price 
can  be  reduced  by  a  shilling  a  foot  by  using  lighter  wood, 
glazing  with  i6-oz.  glass,  and  staining  instead  of  paint- 
ing. At  an  increased  cost  of  about  50  per  cent  double 
glazed  lights,  that  is,  lights  made  with  sashes  deep  enough 
to  take  two  layers  of  glass,  can  be  obtained.  The  air- 
space between  serves  as  a  non-conductor,  and  prevents 
the  temperature  falling  during  the  colder  hours  of  night 
and  early  morning. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  point  out  that  the  outlay  in 
frames  is  possible  of  reduction  if  there  is  home  labour 
qualified  to  make  them.  The  prices  quoted  above  are 
for  bought  frames  and  allow  of  a  profit  to  the  manu- 
facturer. 

Cloches  are  another  considerable  item.  They  are  in- 
dispensable, and  a  large  number  are  required,  as  they 
are  only  about  eighteen  inches  wide  at  the  base.  The 
lowest  price  for  cloches  bought  in  quantity  is  a  shilling 
each,  and  it  is  wise  to  allow  more  in  order  to  ensure 
getting  a  good  article,  as  cheap  ones  are  apt  to  split. 
Nicked  or  ridged  props  are  required  in  order  to  be  able 
to  tilt  the  cloches  at  various  heights  for  the  purpose  of 
ventilation  ;  these,  however,  are  an  inexpensive  item, 


386  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

Mats  for  covering  the  frames  are  necessary.  The  mat 
used  by  British  gardeners  is  the  Archangel,  a  very  warm 
mat.  The  French  gardeners  use  rye-straw  mats,  good 
examples  of  which  may  cost  i8s.  to  £i  per  dozen.  They 
should  be  dressed  with  sulphate  of  copper  solution,  i  Ib. 
to  3 1  gallons  of  water,  every  year,  and  dried. 

Minor  accessories  include  water  barrows,  with  or 
without  engines  for  throwing  the  water,  water  tanks, 
manure  barrows,  packing  crates,  cloche  carriers,  tuber 
trays  and  tools  of  various  kinds. 

In  some  large  and  well-equipped  French  gardens  a 
narrow-gauge  railway  is  run  along  the  principal  divisions 
to  facilitate  the  transport  of  manure.  The  trucks  used 
are  light,  and  can  be  run  with  horse  or  even  hand  labour. 

A  packing  shed  is  necessary,  so  that  the  packers  can 
work  in  comfort  and  the  goods  be  sent  off  in  a  proper 
condition.  Moreover,  there  will  be  jobs  to  do  in  wet 
weather. 

In  round  figures,  the  cost  of  thoroughly  equipping  a 
French  garden  may  be  set  at  £1000  per  acre. 

The  labour  may  be  set  at  three  hands  per  acre.  It  is 
an  advantage  if  extra  local  labour,  partly  female,  is 
available  at  certain  periods.  There  may  be  a  good  deal 
of  Lettuce-tying,  for  example,  at  particular  times,  and 
this  could  be  done  more  economically  by  girls  than  by 
men,  for  they  would  not  only  work  for  a  lower  wage,  but 
quicker. 

We  may  turn  to  the  principal  crops  grown  in  the 
French  gardens,  which  consist  of  Melons,  Cucumbers, 
Tomatoes,  Strawberries,  Asparagus,  Cauliflowers,  Vege- 
table Marrows,  Mushrooms,  Lettuces,  Radishes,  Celery, 
Endive,  Carrots,  Turnips,  Spinach,  Rhubarb,  Beans, 
Chicory,  Beetroot  and  Parsley.  These  should  be  in 
season  as  follows : 


FRENCH  GARDENING  387 

January  and  February. — Asparagus,  Carrots,  Chicory, 
Endive,  Lettuces,  Mushrooms,  Parsley,  Radishes,  Rhu- 
barb, Spinach,  Strawberries. 

March. — Asparagus,  Kidney  Beans,  Carrots,  Chicory, 
Endive,  Lettuces,  Mushrooms,  Parsley,  Radishes,  Rhu- 
barb, Strawberries. 

April. — As  March,  also  Turnips  and  possibly  Vegetable 
Marrows. 

May. — As  March  and  April,  probably  also  Cauli- 
flowers. 

June. — Beans,  Beetroot,  Cauliflowers,  Lettuces,  Melons, 
Mushrooms,  Turnips. 

July. — As  June,  also  early  Celery,  Cucumbers  and 
Tomatoes. 

August  and  September. — Celery,  Cucumbers,  Lettuces, 
Melons,  Tomatoes. 

October. — Endive,  Lettuces,  Mushrooms,  Radishes, 
Tomatoes. 

November. — Carrots,  Chicory,  Endive,  Lettuces,  Mush- 
rooms, Radishes. 

December. — As  November,  also  Parsley  and  Spinach. 

Let  us  take  a  stroll  through  a  good  French  garden  on  a 
late  May  day,  and  take  note  of  what  we  see. 

Tomatoes  have  already  been  planted  out  on  a  warm 
border  in  the  open  under  a  fence,  and  Cauliflowers  for 
a  July  supply  set  between  them. 

Cauliflowers  to  be  ready  in  June  are  growing  among 
Carrots,  both  following  frames  of  Lettuces  and  Radishes. 

There  is  a  large  breadth  of  young  Celery  growing  on  a 
manure  bed  until  the  time  shall  come  for  transplanting. 

There  are  beds  of  young  Turnips  in  positions  from 
which  frames  have  been  removed. 

Cantaloup  Melons  are  established  in  frames,  two  per 
light  of  four  and  a  half  feet  square ;  the Jruitlis  to  be 


388  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

ready  in  June  and  bring  the  remunerative  price  of 
35.  6d.  ;  if  the  price  should  fall  to  half  that  figure  the 
crop  will  not  pay.  Other  Cantaloups  are  just  planted 
for  successions. 

The  Mushrooms  are  growing  on  conical  beds  in  the 
shade  of  large  trees,  also  in  a  dark,  heated  Mushroom 
house. 

Scarlet  Runner  Beans  are  growing  in  boxes  until  the 
time  for  planting  out  comes. 

Vegetable  Marrows  are  comfortably  ensconced  under 
cloches,  ventilated  at  the  moment  with  the  ridged  props, 
but  with  straw  at  hand  to  pull  round  the  cloches  at 
night.  Some  white  and  green  bush  Vegetable  Marrows 
are  already  planted  out  four  feet  by  two  apart. 

There  are  Lettuces  almost  everywhere.  Four  crops 
of  this  salad  have  been  grown  under  cloches  since  Feb- 
ruary. White  Gott  and  Black  Gott  (the  colours  refer 
to  the  seeds)  are  popular  varieties ;  others  are  Improved 
Chauvigny  (Cabbage),  Noire  Parisienne  (Cabbage)  and 
Romaine  (Cos).  The  Black  Gott  is  a  very  early  variety. 

Cauliflowers,  Early  French  Frame  and  Early  Paris 
Forcing  are  ready. 

Carrot,  First  of  All  early  has  been  used,  and  varieties 
in  or  approaching  use  are  Grelot  and  Bellot. 

Pea,  World's  Record,  a  good  variety  of  the  Gradus 
type,  is  growing  right  round  the  garden  under  the  fence 
to  give  pods  in  June  and  July. 

Turnips,  White  Milan  and  Marteau  have  given  crops 
and  more  are  advancing. 

As  the  outdoor  season  is  approaching  most  of  the 
forcing  has  been  done.  Manure  is  being  removed  and 
stacked  for  future  use.  A  good  many  lights  are  already 
piled. 

A  bed  of  Mint  reminds  us  of  a  useful  herb  which, 


FRENCH  GARDENING  389 

forced  on  a  hotbed  so  as  to  be  ready  in  winter,  pays  its 
way  very  well. 

The  cultivation  of  one  particular  crop  in  a  frame 
creates  no  complications,  but  when  two  or  more  crops 
are  grown  under  one  cloche  skill  and  minute  attention 
are  required.  An  example  of  such  a  system  is  that  of 
associating  Cauliflowers,  Carrots  and  Lettuces. 

In  our  May  ramble  we  saw  that  Cauliflowers  were 
growing  among  Carrots  in  succession  to  Lettuces.  This 
has  arisen  through  sowing  seed  of  Carrots  thinly  under  a 
cloche,  setting  a  Cauliflower  plant  in  the  centre  and 
putting  three  Cabbage  Lettuces  around  it.  The  Lettuces 
come  into  use  first,  and  meanwhile  the  Carrots  are 
developing.  When  the  Lettuces  go  the  cloche  is  removed 
and  the  Cauliflowers  and  Carrots  have  room  to  develop. 

In  French  gardening  every  inch  of  space  is  utilized. 
To  master  its  intricacies  not  only  should  a  special  book 
be  studied,  but  practical  experience  should  be  gained, 
for  should  failure  come  it  may,  in  view  of  the  costly 
nature  of  the  undertaking,  prove  disastrous. 


CHAPTER   IV 

ELECTRICAL  EXPERIMENTS   IN   FORCING 
VEGETABLES   AND    FRUIT 

THE  grower  of  early  vegetables  for  market  will  watch 
with  interest  the  experimental  work  with  electricity  as 
an  aid  to  vegetation.  Science  has  come  to  the  aid  of  the 
florist :  first  in  providing  facilities  for  subjecting  bulbs 
and  shrubs  to  cold  storage,  thereby  retarding  them  until 
a  favourable  time  arrives  for  forcing  them  into  bloom ; 
and  secondly  with  anaesthetics,  such  as  ether  and  chloro- 
form, which  can  be  used  to  control  the  dormant  period 
of  plants.  Apart  from  these  special  factors  in  promoting 
interest,  there  is  the  general  one  that  the  great  triumphs 
won  with  electricity  in  modern  times  suggest  almost 
limitless  powers  for  this  wonderful  agency. 

The  electrification  of  plants  is  still  in  its  infancy,  but 
experiments  were  first  made  more  than  a  century  ago. 
The  reader  will  be  astonished  to  hear  that  the  October 
of  the  following :  "  Mr.  Maimbray,  at  Edinburgh, 
electrified  two  Myrtle  trees  during  the  whole  month  of 
October ;  when  they  put  forth  small  branches  and 
blossoms  sooner  than  other  shrubs  of  the  same  kind 
which  had  not  been  electrified " — that  this  was  the 
October,  not  of  1911,  but  of  1746  !  And  the  record 
must  surely  be  authentic,  for  it  was  given  by  the  great 
chemist  Dr.  Joseph  Priestley  in  a  book  published  in 
1776.  So  far,  then,  are  experiments  with  electricity  on 


ELECTRICAL   EXPERIMENTS        391 

plants  from  being  new  that  they  are  more  than  150  years 
old.  After  this  we  shall  be  more  ready  than  ever  to 
believe  that  "  there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun/'  and 
may  even  be  prepared  to  entertain  suggestions  as  to 
the  probable  use  of  electricity  in  horticulture  by  the 
Ancient  Egyptians. 

After  Mr.  Maimbray  in  Scotland  came  the  Abbe" 
Nollet  in  France,  and  after  him,  again,  the  Abbe  Berthelon, 
who  had  the  idea  of  collecting  electricity  from  the  air 
and  conveying  it  to  the  plants,  probably  prompted  by 
the  success  of  Benjamin  Franklin  in  drawing  electricity 
from  the  clouds  and  by  the  installation  of  lightning- 
conductors.  The  Abbe  Berthelon  set  up  in  the  air 
metal  points  like  lightning-conductors  connected  with  a 
flexible  wire  terminating  in  discharge  points,  and  satisfied 
himself  that  the  more  abundant  supply  of  electricity 
thus  discharged  among  the  plants  increased  their  pro- 
ductiveness. 

At  a  later  period  other  French  experimentalists  used 
electricity,  but  conducted  the  electricity  gathered  by  the 
lightning-conductors  to  wires  buried  in  the  ground 
among  the  plants. 

When  we  come  to  modern  research  into  the  effects  of 
electricity  on  plants  we  have  to  begin  with  the  work  of 
a  Swedish  scientist,  the  late  Professor  Lemstrom,  an 
account  of  whose  work  was  published  in  1904,  a  year  after 
his  death.  It  is  recorded  that  Lemstrom  was  influenced 
in  part  by  the  vigour  of  vegetation  in  the  Arctic  regions, 
where  the  plants  came  under  the  influence  of  the  Aurora 
Borealis,  that  beautiful  luminous  meteor  of  the  Northern 
sky  which  is  attributed  to  the  ascent  of  positive  elec- 
tricity from  the  intertropical  water  surfaces  flowing 
towards  the  poles,  and  in  the  region  of  the  poles  de- 
scending towards  the  earth  and  coming  in  contact,  in  a 


392  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

rarefied  atmosphere,  with  the  terrestrial  negative  elec- 
tricity* 

Lemstrom  made  a  series  of  electrical  experiments  in 
order  to  try  to  reproduce  the  colours  of  the  Aurora 
Borealis,  and  as  these  Were  conducted  in  his  greenhouse 
he  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  effects  on  plants. 
He  saw  that  they  were  greatly  stimulated,  and  the  fact 
seemed  to  confirm  the  truth  of  his  observations  on  the 
wild  flora  of  Antarctica. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  record  the  minutiae  of  Lemstrom 's 
experiments,  and  those  who  feel  an  interest  in  them  may 
learn  what  they  desire  to  know  from  the  book  referred 
to.  We  may,  however,  glance  at  the  results  of  experi- 
ments made  in  Great  Britain  with  a  view  to  testing  the 
results  recorded  by  Lemstrom.  The  most  important 
of  these  were  conducted  by  Mr.  J.  E.  Newman,  of  Howard 
Street,  Gloucester,  England,  and  Sir  Oliver  Lodge,  at  a 
farm  near  Evesham. 

It  was  decided  to  experiment  with  electric  discharges 
into  the  atmosphere,  consequently,  wires  were  fixed  on 
poles  about  fifteen  feet  above  ground.  The  poles  were 
put  seventy  yards  asunder  in  parallel  rows  a  hundred 
yards  apart,  so  that  they  averaged  less  than  one  to  the 
acre.  Ordinary  telegraph  wire  was  fixed  to  the  parallel 
lines  of  poles,  and  finer  wire  was  fixed  across  in  parallel 
lines  twelve  yards  apart,  thus  forming  right  angles  with 
the  main  wires. 

In  order  to  secure  a  steady  and  continuous  discharge 
it  was  necessary  to  charge  the  wires  with  a  pressure  of 
100,000  volts  from  a  dynamo  with  the  aid  of  the  in- 
duction coil.  The  dynamo  may  be  driven  by  a  high- 
speed oil  engine.  To  prevent  loss  of  electricity  in  transit 
along  the  wires  from  the  coil  to  the  field,  which  would 
certainly  happen  with  the  agent  at  so  high  a  tension 


THE  1A.E.D.     HIGH    TENSION     DISCHARGE     SET 


ELECTRICAL   EXPERIMENTS         393 

unless  measures  were  taken  to  prevent  it,  extra  large 
insulators  are  required. 

The  electricity  discharges  into  the  atmosphere  all  over 
the  wired  parts  of  the  field  or  garden  in  a  constant 
stream,  and  its  presence  may  be  proved  by  means  of  a 
test  wire. 

Further  experiments  were  made  in  1911  under  the 
direction  of  Miss  E.  C.  Dudgeon,  the  crop  being  a  field  of 
Potatoes  at  Lincluden  Mains,  Dumfries,  Scotland.  Four 
varieties  were  planted,  namely  :  Golden  Wonder,  Great 
Scot,  Ringleader  and  Windsor  Castle,  and  the  electric 
discharge  was  applied  daily  from  May  ist  to  August  i8th, 
averaging  four  hours  per  day,  or  a  total  of  413  hours. 

An  ordinary  or  "  control  "  plot  was  planted  in  each 
case  for  comparison  with  the  experimental  plot.  Right 
from  the  start  a  difference  was  observable  between  those 
treated  with  electricity  and  those  given  ordinary  cultiva- 
tion. The  haulm  and  foliage  of  the  electrified  plots  were 
stronger,  and  the  tubers  were  ready  for  lifting  a  week 
earlier.  There  was,  however,  more  disease  in  them.  The 
following  are  the  total  weights  lifted  in  each  case  : 

Variety.  Electrified  Plot.  Control  Plot. 

Ringleader    .      ..  8  tons    i  cwt.  5  tons  17  cwt. 

Golden  Wonder  8     „     14    „  8     „       2    „ 

Windsor  Castle  .  n     „     14    „  9     „     17    „ 

Great  Scot    .      .  n     „     15    „  10     „       6    „ 

Total  diseased         4  cwt.  6  Ib.  2  cwt.  2  qrs.  24  Ib. 

The  following  shows  the  extra  yield  per  acre  under 
electricity  : 

Variety.  Tons.  cwt.  qrs.  Ib. 

Ringleader      ...  2  4  o  o 

Windsor  Castle     .      .  i  16  3  19 

Golden  Wonder    .      .  -  12  o  12 

Great  Scot      .      .      .  i  9  2  20 


394  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

The  extra  yield  was  therefore  just  over  six  tons,  and 
the  cost  was  £5  igs.  6d.,  but  the  same  outlay  would  have 
electrified  fifteen  acres,  and  with  a  proportionate  increase 
of  yield  throughout  the  electrification  would  prove 
lucrative. 

Miss  Dudgeon  tells  me  that  "  the  electric  charge  does 
not  do  instead  of  manure.  Its  action  appears  to  be  to 
break  up  the  component  substances  of  the  soil  and  humus, 
rendering  them  more  soluble  and  easy  of  assimilation  by 
the  plants.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  discharge  has  a 
stimulating  effect  on  plant  growth,  as  can  be  easily  seen 
in  the  greater  luxuriance  and  better  quality  of  vegetables 
and  crops  grown  under  the  electric  wires.  It  seems  to 
have  a  tonic  effect  on  them,  and,  as  Sir  Oliver  Lodge 
expresses  it,  '  the  discharge  acts  like  a  gentle  massage.'  ' 
.  In  addition  to  her  experimental  work  with  the  Oliver 
Lodge-Newman  apparatus  in  the  open,  Miss  Dudgeon 
has  observed  the  effect  of  artificial  light  on  plants  under 
glass,  using  the  mercury- vapour  lamp.  The  object  was 
to  grow  the  plants  under  summer  conditions  as  to  light 
in  winter,  that  is,  giving  the  house  no  more  heat  than  out- 
door summer  or  spring  heat,  but  using  the  radiation 
from  the  lamp  in  the  place  of  the  sun.  The  Westing- 
house  Cooper-Hewitt  lamp  gives  a  bright  blue  light,  and 
has  a  marked  effect  on  plants.  Miss  Dudgeon  says  : 

"  My  idea  was  to  test  the  effect  of  the  lamp  on  as  many 
different  seeds  as  possible,  which  only  allowed  of  my 
having  a  few  pots  of  each  variety.  My  greenhouse  is 
twenty  feet  by  ten  feet,  and  by  testing  the  radiation  of 
the  lamp  by  means  of  photographic  paper  exposed  after 
dark,  I  found  the  most  powerful  radiation  extended  to  a 
square  of  six  feet  below  the  lamp.  After  that  it  became 
less,  though  at  the  farthest  end  of  the  house  the  paper 
was  distinctly  coloured  after  half  an  hour's  exposure. 


Photographs  ;  Agricultural  Electric  Discharge  Co.,  Ltd. 
THE     EFFECTS     OF     ELECTRICITY     ON     POTATOES 

UPPER    PLOT    ELECTRIFIED,    LOWER    UNELECTRIFIED 

A  similar  board  is  in  each  plot  ;  the  white  bands  are  6  inches  apart,  and   the 
top  band  is  5  feet  above  the  ground. 


ELECTRICAL  EXPERIMENTS        395 

"After  a  few  weeks'  growth  a  casual  look  down  the  green- 
house showed  the  effect  of  radiation  on  the  growth  of  the 
plants,  those  within  the  six-foot  area  being  considerably 
in  advance  of  those  outside  it. 

"  I  saved  nine  different  varieties  of  seeds,  and  the 
quicker  germination  of  those  seeds  under  the  mercury- 
vapour  lamp  in  comparison  with  the  control  ones  was 
remarkable,  as  the  following  table  shows : 

Kind.  Days  in  Expert-         Days  in  Control 

mental  Set.  Set. 

French  Beans       .  13  21 

Carrots      ....  n  26 

Cauliflowers    ...  6  26 

Maize         ....  8  57 

Lettuce     ....  6  12 

Peas 6  16 

Oats 7  12 

Barley        ....  7  12 

Wheat       ....  8  16 

"  I  kept  a  careful  register  of  the  temperature  in  both 
houses  daily,  and  from  time  to  time  took  the  soil  tem- 
perature. There  was  never  a  full  degree  difference  in 
the  latter.  On  days  when  we  had  bright  sunshine  the 
control-house  temperature  rose  slightly  higher  than  that 
of  the  experimental,  owing  to  its  being  more  exposed  to 
the  sun  during  a  short  time  in  the  day.  The  following 
is  the  average  temperature  of  both  houses  for  three 
months : 

Experimental.  Control. 

Max.  Min.  Max.  Min. 

January  ...      50  deg.     46  deg.       59  deg.     48  deg. 
February       .      .      60     ,,       44     ,,         67     ,,       50     ,, 
March  73     ,,       47     ,,         78     ,,       50     „ 

"  Except  on  sunny  days  the  average  day  temperature 
was  from  50  to  63  degrees  in  both  houses.  In  January 


396  THE   NEW   GARDENING 

and  February  it  was  55  degrees  maximum  and  42  degrees 
minimum. 

"  The  lamp  was  on  from  four  to  five  hours  daily,  the 
light  being  put  out  about  one  hour  before  sunset. 

"  I  placed  several  Geranium  cuttings  and  Carnation 
'  strikes '  in  both  houses,  and  the  ones  in  the  experi- 
mental house  made  much  stronger  and  quicker  growth 
than  those  in  the  control,  especially  the  Ivy-leaved 
Geranium,  the  young  shoots  of  which  grew  twice  the 
length  of  the  others  in  the  same  time.  The  leaves  and 
stems  were  also  of  much  stronger  fabric  and  the  leaves 
a  deeper  green. 

"  I  tried  the  effect  on  forcing  bulbs.  These  I  lifted 
from  the  open  when  about  four  inches  above  ground, 
but  not  showing  bud.  In  ten  days  they  were  in  flower. 
The  variety  was  Sir  Watkin  Daffodil.  I  had  none  of 
these  in  the  control  house,  but  have  some  Narcissus 
raised  about  the  same  size  from  the  open  in  both  houses. 
The  flowers  in  the  experimental  house  were  opening 
before  those  in  the  control  were  in  bud. 

"  From  a  practical  point  of  view  I  think  the  lamp 
could  be  very  profitably  applied  to  the  raising  of  young 
vegetables  in  winter. 

"  Lettuces,  Carrots,  and  Cauliflowers  responded  to  the 
treatment  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  were  in  quantity, 
quality  and  texture  equal  to  those  grown  out  of  doors 
under  normal  conditions. 

"  From  the  saving  in  coal  alone  I  am  convinced  the 
use  of  the  mercury-vapour  lamps  would  be  a  source  of 
profit  to  the  market-gardener. 

"  For  my  house  the  coal  consumed  to  heat  a  double 
flow  and  return  pipe  has  been  i  cwt.  in  five  days,  against 
what  I  have  been  informed  by  a  gardener,  over  i  cwt. 
for  the  same  sized  house  to  keep  up  stove  heat.  I  have 


Photographs:  Agricultural  Electric  Discharge  Co.,  Ltd. 
THE     EFFECTS    OF  ELECTRICITY     ON     TOMATOES 

UPPER  PLOT  TREATED.  LOWER  NOT  TREATED 


ELECTRICAL   EXPERIMENTS         397 

power  sufficient  to  light  three  mercury- vapour  lamps, 
the  cost  of  running  which  is  2jd.  per  hour  for  petrol. 
Coal  at  lod.  per  cwt.  works  out  at  2d.  per  day ;  three 
lamps,  running  four  hours,  gd.,  total  nd.,  against  is.  id. 
for  coal  to  keep  up  stove  heat.  A  practical  electrical 
engineer  worked  out  for  me  that  getting  supply  from  a 
main  would  cost  less  than  id.  per  lamp  per  hour,  the 
consumption  per  lamp  being  about  one-fifth  of  a  kilowatt 
per  hour.'* 

Miss  Dudgeon's  experiments  are  of  much  interest  and 
importance,  and  should  receive  the  attention  of  market- 
growers. 

I  may  add  that  Mr.  J.  E.  Newman  has  had  marked 
success  with  Tomatoes  and  Cucumbers  in  greenhouses 
with  the  high-tension  discharge  as  well  as  out  of  doors. 

In  view  of  the  encouraging  results  which  have  attended 
the  foregoing  experiments  it  would  seem  that  electricity 
is  likely  to  prove  a  valuable  factor  in  horticulture  in  the 
future. 


INDEX 


Aconitums  (Monkshoods),  41 

Actinidia  chinensis,  208 

Adonises,  42 

^Ethionemas,  89 

Ajugas,  89 

Akebia  quinata,  208 

Alpines,  likes  and  dislikes  of,  78 

Alyssums,  89 

Anchusas,  42 

Androsaces,  90 

Anemones,  43 

Antennaria  tomentosa,  90 

Antirrhinums,  44 

Apple,    the    modern    Bear-quick, 

295-321 

Aquatic  plants,  235-40 
Aquilegias,  44 
Arabises,  90 
Arenaria,  91 
Armeria,  91 
Arnebia,  91 
Asparagus,  369 
Asters,  perennial,  45 
Aubrietias,  91-8 
Azaleas,  hardy,  128,  279 


Bamboos,  279 
Beans,  370,  377 
Bedding,  the  new,  125 
Bees  and  fruit,  341 
Begonias,  tuberous,  129 
Berberidopsis  corallina,  208 
Berberises,  279 
Berries,  the  new,  352 
Border  plants,  beautiful,  40-76 
Borders,   the  new,   27-39 ;    hard 
to  plant,  37 


Cabbages,  377 
Calandrinia  umbellata,  98 
Calceolarias,  130 
Campanulas,  98 
Canker,  328 


Cardamine  trifoliata,  99 
Carnations,  157—65 
Carrots,  371 
Cauliflowers,  371 
Celery,  377 

Celmisia  holosericea,  99 
Cheiranthus,  99 
Chicory,  372 

Christmas     Roses.       See     Helle- 
bores 

Chrysanthemums,  48 
Chrysogonum  virginianum,  79 
Cistuses,  47 

City  Garden,  the  new,  211 
Clarkias,  51 
Clematises,  207 
Colour-grouping,  31 
Columbines.     See  Aquilegias 
Conandron  ramondioides,  100 
Conifers,  30,  271-5 
Cordon  fruit  trees,  308 
Coris  monspeliensis,  100 
Coronilla  cappadocica,  100 
Corydalis,  100 
Cosmos  or  Cosmea,  52 
Cross-fertilizing  fruit,  341 
Cucumbers,  378 
Currants,  big  bud  in,  331 
Cyclamens,  100 

D 

Daffodils,  175-81  ;  for  borders,  39 
Dahlias,  52 
Daphnes,  100 

Day  Lilies.     See  Hemerocallis 
Delphiniums,   53  ;     Blue    Butter- 
fly, 130 

Dianthuses  (Alpine  Pinks),  101 
Dog's  Tooth  Violets,  102 
Doronicums,  54 
Dracocephalums,  54 


j_> 

Edelweiss,  105 

Edraianthus  serpyllifolius,  101 

Electrical  experiments,  390-7 


398 


INDEX 


399 


Epimediums,  101 
Eremurus,  54 
Erigerons,  55 
Erinus,  102 

Eritrichiurn  nanum,  102 
Erodium  (Heron's  Bill),  102 
Erythroniums,  102 
Evergreens,  231 


Forget-me-nots,  131 
Formal  Garden,  the,  17-23 
Fruit-growing,  the  new,  293-357 
Fruit-spraying,  322-40 
Fuchsias,  55 


Gaillardias,  55,  131 
Garden  cities,  212 
Garden-making,  new  art  of,  17 
Gardener,  the  new,  244-55 
Gentians,  103 
Gerberas,  56 
Geums,  56 
Gladioli,  56 

Gooseberry  mildew,  332 
Grafting,  335 

Grease-banding  fruit  trees,  333 
Gypsophilas,  57,  103 

H 

Haberlea  rhodopensis,   103 
Hailsham  Berry,  the,  356 
Helianthemums,  105 
Hellebores,  58 
Hemerocallis,  58 
Herbaceous  plants,  30,  31 
Heucheras,  59 

Hieraciums  (Hawkweed),  104 
Hollyhocks,  59 
Honeysuckles,  209 
Houstonia  caerulea,  105 
Hutchinsia  alpina,  105 
Hyacinths,  60 


Iberis  (perennial  Candytuft),  105 
Incarvilleas,  61 
Inulas,  6 1 
Irises,  61,  105 
Ivies,  208 


Japanese  Garden,  the,  182-9 
Jasmines,  209 


Kniphofias,  63 


K 


Laxtonberry,  the,  356 

Lawn  trees,  28 

Lenten  Roses.    See  Hellebores 

Leontopodium,  105 

Lettuces,  373 

Lilies,  64 

Liliums,  128 

Linarias,  106 

Lithospermums,  106 

Loganberry,  the,  352 

Lowberry,  356 

M 

Manuring  fruit,  315 
Marguerites,  65 
Meconopsis,  65 
Mertensias,  106 

Michaelmas  Daisies.    See  Asters 
Montbretias,  66,  131 
Morisia  hypogaea,   107 
Muscari,  131 
Myosotises,  107 

N 

Names,  new  and  old,  196-203 
Narcissi,  107,  175-81 
Nymphseas,  240,  242 


Omphalodes  verna,  107 
Onions,  377 

Onosma  Tauricum,  107 
Oreocome  Candollei,  131 
Ostrowskia,  67 


Pseony,  67 

Papavers  (Poppies),  68,  108 
Parochaetus  communis,  108 
Parsley,  378 
Passion-flower,  209 
Peach-blister,  337  £Fj 
Pear-slug,  337 
Pears,  345-5* 


400 


INDEX 


Peas,  373 

Pentstemons,  69,  108 

Pergolas,  25,  204 

Periploca  gragca,  209 

Phenomenalberry,  356 

Phloxes,  70  ;    Alpine,  108 

Physalis,  72 

Pinks,  129 

Polemoniums,  109 

Polygonums,  209 

Poppies,  68 

Potatoes,  374 

Potentillas,  no 

Primroses    and    Polyanthuses 

under  Roses,   144 
Primulas,  no 
Prunellas,  115 
Pruning  fruit  trees,  308-14 
Prunuses,  268 
Pulmonarias,  116 
Pyrethrums,  72 
Pyruses,  269 

R 

Radishes,  375 

Ramondias,  116 

Ranunculuses,  116 

Raspberries,  357 

Rhododendrons,  116,  289 

Rhubarb,  374 

Rock  Gardening,  the  new,  77-87 

Rock  Rose.     See  Cistus 

Rock  walk,  24 

Romneya  Coulteri,  72 

Roses,  in  mixed  borders,  34  ;  on 
banks,  134  ;  tall  standard,  135 ; 
Memorial,  136 ;  pillar,  136 ; 
Ramblers,  137;  rugosa,  137; 
Banksian,  138 ;  Gottfried 
Keller,  138 ;  Juliet,  138 ; 
Rayon  d'Or,  138  ;  for  bedding, 
139 ;  damask,  139 ;  hybrid 
sweetbrier,  139 ;  hybrid  tea, 
139 ;  the  Lyon,  140  ;  hybrid 
perpetual,  141  ;  pruning,  142  ; 
under  glass,  143 


Saponarias,  117 
Saxifrages,  117 
Seakale,  375 


Sedums,  122 

Selinum  tenuifolium,  131 

Sempervivums,  123 

Senecios,  73 

Shortias,  123 

Shrubs,    276-91  ;     flowering,    30  ; 

coarse,   32  ;    pruning,   33 ;    for 

suburban  gardens,  231 
Silenes,  123 
Silver-leaf,  337 
Sisyrinchiums,  124 
Snapdragons.      See  Antirrhinums 
Soldanellas,  124 
Spraying  fruit  trees,  322-40 
Starworts.    See  Asters 
Stokesia  cyanea,  73 
Strawberries,  357  ;    mildew,  339 
Styles,  national,  17 
Suburban  Gardens,  218 
Sun-dials,  190-5 
Sweet  Peas,  145-56 


Tamarisks,  131 

The  Mahdi  Berry,  355 

Tiarellas,  73 

Tomatoes,  377 

Trees,    256-75  ;      flowering,    29  ; 

for  suburban  gardens,  231 
Trellis- work,  225 
Tulips,  166-74  >    for  borders,  39 
Tunica  Saxifraga,  124 
Turnips,  376 

V 

Vegetable-growing,  the  new,  359- 

97 

Vegetable  Marrows,  376 
Vegetables,  an  economical  supply 

of,    368 ;     table,    a    new    ideal 

for,  361 

Verandahs,  204 
Violas,  124 
Vitises,  240 

W 

Wallflowers,  31,  73 
Water-gardening,  the  new,  233 
Water  Lilies,  240,  242 
Wistarias,  210 


WU-LIAM    DRENDOX   ANP   SOX,    LTD.,    PRINTERS,   PLYMOUTH 


I'N  IVF'-SITY   OT 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CAI4FORNIA  LIBRARY 


